Soluble CTLA4 mutant molecules and uses thereof

ABSTRACT

The invention identifies the CTLA4 receptor as a ligand for the B7 antigen. The complete amino acid sequence encoding human CTLA4 receptor gene is provided. Methods are provided for expressing CTLA4 as an immunoglobulin fusion protein, for preparing hybrid CTLA4 fusion proteins, and for using the soluble fusion proteins, fragments and derivatives thereof, including monoclonal antibodies reactive with B7 and CTLA4, to regulate T cell interactions and immune responses mediated by such interactions.

This application is a divisional of U.S. Ser. No. 11/725,384, filed Mar.19, 2007, which is a divisional 10/461,000, filed Jun. 13, 2003, whichis a divisional of U.S. Ser. No. 09/454,651, filed Dec. 6, 1999, nowU.S. Pat. No. 6,887,471, issued on May 3, 2005, which was a divisionalof U.S. Ser. No. 08/228,208, filed Apr. 15, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No.6,090,914, issued on Jul. 18, 2000, which was a continuation-in-part ofU.S. Ser. No. 08/008,898, filed Jan. 22, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No.5,770,197, issued on Jun. 23, 1998, which was a continuation-in-part ofU.S. Ser. No. 07/723,617, filed Jun. 27, 1991, now abandoned, thecontents of all of which are incorporated by reference in their entiretyinto the present application.

Throughout this application various publications are referenced. Thedisclosures of these publications in their entireties are herebyincorporated by reference into this application in order to more fullydescribe the state of the art to which this invention pertains.

The present invention relates to expression of CTLA4 hybrid fusionproteins, the CTLA4 receptor gene, identification of the interactionbetween the CTLA4 receptor and cells expressing B7 antigen, and tomethods for regulating cellular interactions involving the CTLA4receptor and the B7 antigen.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The hallmark of a vertebrate immune system is the ability todiscriminate “self” from “non-self” (foreign). This property has led tothe evolution of a system requiring multiple signals to achieve optimalimmune activation (Janeway, Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol.54:1-14 (1989)). T cell-B cell interactions are essential to the immuneresponse. Levels of many cohesive molecules found on T cells and B cellsincrease during an immune response (Springer et al., (1987), supra; Shawand Shimuzu, Current Opinion in Immunology, Eds. Kindt and Long, 1:92-97(1988)); and Hemler Immunology Today 9:109-113 (1988)). Increased levelsof these molecules may help explain why activated B cells are moreeffective at stimulating antigen-specific T cell proliferation than areresting B cells (Kaiuchi et al., J. Immunol. 131:109-114 (1983); Kreigeret al., J. Immunol. 135:2937-2945 (1985); McKenzie, J. Immunol.141:2907-2911 (1988); and Hawrylowicz and Unanue, J. Immunol.141:4083-4088 (1988)).

The generation of a T lymphocyte (“T cell”) immune response is a complexprocess involving cell-cell interactions (Springer et al., A. Rev.Immunol. 5:223-252 (1987)), particularly between T and accessory cellssuch as B cells, and production of soluble immune mediators (cytokinesor lymphokines) (Dinarello and Mier, New Engl. Jour. Med 317:940-945(1987)). This response is regulated by several T-cell surface receptors,including the T-cell receptor complex (Weiss et al., Ann. Rev. Immunol.4:593-619 (1986)) and other “accessory” surface molecules (Springer etal., (1987) supra). Many of these accessory molecules are naturallyoccurring cell surface differentiation (CD) antigens defined by thereactivity of monoclonal antibodies on the surface of cells (McMichael,Ed., Leukocyte Typing III, Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford, N.Y. (1987)).

Antigen-independent intercellular interactions involving lymphocyteaccessory molecules are essential for an immune response (Springer etal., (1987), supra). For example, binding of the T cell-associatedprotein, CD2, to its ligand LFA-3, a widely expressed glycoprotein(reviewed in Shaw and Shimuzu, supra), is important for optimizingantigen-specific T cell activation (Moingeon et al., Nature 339:314(1988)).

An important adhesion system involves binding of the LFA-1 glycoproteinfound on lymphocytes, macrophages, and granulocytes (Springer et al.,(1987), supra; Shaw and Shimuzu (1988), supra) to its ligands ICAM-1(Makgoba et al., Nature 331:86-88 (1988)) and ICAM-2 (Staunton et al.,Nature 339:61-64 (1989)). The T cell accessory molecules CD8 and CD4strengthen T cell adhesion by interaction with MHC class I (Norment etal., Nature 336:79-81 (1988)) and class II (Doyle and Strominger, Nature330:256-259 (1987)) molecules, respectively. “Homing receptors” areimportant for control of lymphocyte migration (Stoolman, Cell 56:907-910(1989)).

The VLA glycoproteins are integrins which appear to mediate lymphocytefunctions requiring adhesion to extracellular matrix components (Hemler,supra). The CD2/LFA-3, LFA-1/ICAM-1 and ICAM-2, and VLA adhesion systemsare distributed on a wide variety of cell types (Springer et al.,(1987), supra; Shaw and Shimuzu, (1988,) supra and Hemler, (1988),supra).

Numerous in vitro studies have demonstrated that cytokines are involvedin the generation of alloreactive effector cells. For example, membranebound IL-4 and soluble IL-4 receptor were administered separately tomice and were shown to augment the lymphoproliferative response (WilliamC. Fanslow et al. “Regulation of Alloreactivity in vivo by IL-4 and thesoluble Il-4 receptor” J. Immunol. 147:535-540 (1991)). Specifically,administration of IL-4 to BALB/c mice resulted in slight augmentation ofthe lymphoproliferative response. In contrast, the soluble IL-4 receptorsuppressed this response to allogeneic cells in a dose dependent manner.Moreover, a neutralizing antibody against IL-4 and another againstsoluble IL-4 receptor were effective inhibitors of thelymphoproliferative response.

It was proposed many years ago that B lymphocyte activation requires twosignals (Bretscher and Cohn, Science 169:1042-1049 (1970)) and now it isbelieved that all lymphocytes require two signals for their optimalactivation, an antigen specific or clonal signal, as well as a second,antigen non-specific signal (Janeway, supra). Freeman et al. (J.Immunol. 143(8):2714-2722 (1989)) isolated and sequenced a cDNA cloneencoding a B cell activation antigen recognized by mAb B7 (Freeman etal., J. Immunol. 138:3260 (1987)). COS cells transfected with this cDNAhave been shown to stain by both labeled mAb B7 and mAb BB-1 (Clark etal., Human Immunol. 16:100-113 (1986); Yokochi et al., J. Immunol.128:823 (1981)); Freeman et al., (1989) supra; and Freedman et al.,(1987), supra)). In addition, expression of this antigen has beendetected on cells of other lineages, such as monocytes (Freeman et al.,supra).

The signals required for a T helper cell (T_(h)) antigenic response areprovided by antigen-presenting cells (APC). The first signal isinitiated by interaction of the T cell receptor complex (Weiss, J. Clin.Invest. 86:1015 (1990)) with antigen presented in the context of classII major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules on the APC (Allen,Immunol. Today 8:270 (1987)). This antigen-specific signal is notsufficient to generate a full response, and in the absence of a secondsignal may actually lead to clonal inactivation or anergy (Schwartz,Science 248:1349 (1990)). The requirement for a second “costimulatory”signal provided by the MHC has been demonstrated in a number ofexperimental systems (Schwartz, supra; Weaver and Unanue, Immunol. Today11:49 (1990)). The molecular nature of this second signal(s) is notcompletely understood, although it is clear in some cases that bothsoluble molecules such as interleukin (IL)-1 (Weaver and Unanue, supra)and membrane receptors involved in intercellular adhesion (Springer,Nature 346:425 (1990)) can provide costimulatory signals.

CD28 antigen, a homodimeric glycoprotein of the immunoglobulinsuperfamily (Aruffo and Seed, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 84:8573-8577(1987)), is an accessory molecule found on most mature human T cells(Damle et al., J. Immunol. 131:2296-2300 (1983)). Current evidencesuggests that this molecule functions in an alternative T cellactivation pathway distinct from that initiated by the T-cell receptorcomplex (June et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 7:4472-4481 (1987)). Monoclonalantibodies (mAbs) reactive with CD28 antigen can augment T cellresponses initiated by various polyclonal stimuli (reviewed by June etal., supra). These stimulatory effects may result from mAb-inducedcytokine production (Thompson et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.86:1333-1337 (1989); and Lindsten et al., Science 244:339-343 (1989)) asa consequence of increased mRNA stabilization (Lindsten et al., (1989),supra). Anti-CD28 mAbs can also have inhibitory effects, i.e., they canblock autologous mixed lymphocyte reactions (Damle et al., Proc. Natl.Acad. Sci. 78:5096-6001 (1981)) and activation of antigen-specific Tcell clones (Lesslauer et al., Eur. J. Immunol. 16:1289-1296 (1986)).

Studies have shown that CD28 is a counter-receptor for the B cellactivation antigen, B7/BB-1 (Linsley et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA87:5031-5035 (1990)). For convenience the B7/BB-1 antigen is hereafterreferred to as the “B7 antigen”. The B7 ligands are also members of theimmunoglobulin superfamily but have, in contrast to CD28 and CTLA4, twoIg domains in their extracellular region, an N-terminal variable(V)-like domain followed by a constant (C)-like domain.

An important non-specific costimulatory signal is delivered to the Tcell when there are at least two homologous B7 family members found onAPC's, B7-1 (also called B7 or CD80) and B7-2, both of which can delivercostimulatory signals to T cells via either CD28 or CTLA4. Costimulationthrough CD28 or CTLA4 is essential for T cell activation since a solubleIg fusion protein of CTLA4 (CTLA4-Ig) has successfully been used toblock T cell activation events in vitro and in vivo. Failure to deliverthis second signal may lead to clonal inactivation or T cell anergy.

Interactions between CD28 and B7 antigen have been characterized usinggenetic fusions of the extracellular portions of B7 antigen and CD28receptor, and Immunoglobulin (Ig) C␣1 (constant region heavy chains)(Linsley et al, J. Exp. Med. 173:721-730 (1991)). Immobilized B7Igfusion protein, as well as B7 positive CHO cells, have been shown tocostimulate T cell proliferation.

T cell stimulation with B7 positive CHO cells also specificallystimulates increased levels of transcripts for IL-2. Additional studieshave shown that anti-CD28 mAb inhibited IL-2 production induced incertain T cell leukemia cell lines by cellular interactions with a Bcell leukemia line (Kohno et al., Cell. Immunol. 131-1-10 (1990)).

CD28 has a single extracellular variable region (V)-like domain (Aruffoand Seed, supra). A homologous molecule, CTLA4 has been identified bydifferential screening of a murine cytolytic-T cell cDNA library (Brunetet al., Nature 328:267-270 (1987)).

Transcripts of the CTLA4 molecule have been found in T cell populationshaving cytotoxic activity, suggesting that CTLA4 might function in thecytolytic response (Brunet et al., supra; and Brunet et al., Immunol.Rev. 103-21-36 (1988)). Researchers have reported the cloning andmapping of a gene for the human counterpart of CTLA4 (Dariavach et al.,Eur. J. Immunol. 18:1901-1905 (1988)) to the same chromosomal region(2q33-34) as CD28 (Lafage-Pochitaloff et al., Immunogenetics 31:198-201(1990)).

An Ig fusion of CTLA4 binds to B7-1 with ˜20 fold higher avidity than acorresponding Ig fusion of CD28.

Sequence comparison between this human CTLA4 DNA and that encoding CD28proteins reveals significant homology of sequence, with the greatestdegree of homology in the juxtamembrane and cytoplasmic regions (Brunetet al., 1988, supra; Dariavach et al., 1988, supra).

The high degree of homology between CD28 and CTLA4, together with theco-localization of their genes, raises questions as to whether thesemolecules are also functionally related. However, since the proteinproduct of CTLA4 has not yet been successfully expressed, thesequestions remain unanswered.

Expression of soluble derivatives of cell-surface glycoproteins in theimmunoglobulin gene superfamily has been achieved for CD4, the receptorfor HIV-1, and CD28 and B7 receptors, using hybrid fusion moleculesconsisting of DNA sequences encoding amino acids corresponding toportions of the extracellular domain of CD4 receptor fused to antibodydomains (immunoglobulin␣1 (Capon et al., Nature 337:525-531 (1989) (CD4)and Linsley et al., J. Exp. Med., supra (CD28 and B7)).

There is a need for molecules which can identify in vitro B7 positive Bcells, i.e., activated B cells, for leukocyte typing and FAC sorting.Further, there is a need for molecules which may be used to prevent therejection of organ transplants and inhibit the symptoms associated withlupus erythmatosus and other autoimmune diseases. In the past, majortherapies relied on panimmunosuppressive drugs, such as cyclosporine Aor monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to CD3 to prevent organ transplants orinhibit symptoms of lupus. Unfortunately, these drugs must frequently betaken for the life of the individual, depress the entire immune system,and often produce secondary health ailments such as increased frequencyof infections and cancer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention provides the complete and correct DNAsequence encoding the amino acid sequence corresponding to the CTLA4receptor protein, and identifies B7 antigen (e.g. B7-1 and B7-2antigens) as a natural ligand for the CTLA4 receptor. The invention alsoprovides a method for expressing the DNA as a CTLA4 immunoglobulin (Ig)fusion protein product. Embodiments of the invention include CTLA4Igfusion protein, and hybrid fusion proteins including CD28/CTLA4Ig fusionproteins (which is also referred to herein as the CTLA4/CD28Ig fusionprotein). Also provided are methods for using the CTLA4 fusion protein,B7Ig fusion protein, hybrid fusion proteins, and fragments and/orderivatives thereof, such as monoclonal antibodies reactive with CTLA4and the B7 antigen, to regulate cellular interactions and immuneresponses.

The human CTLA receptor protein of the invention is encoded by 187 aminoacids and includes a newly identified N-linked glycosylation site.

The CTLA4Ig fusion protein of the invention binds the B7 antigenexpressed on activated B cells, and cells of other lineages, a ligandfor CD28 receptor on T cells. The CTLA4 Ig binds B7 antigen withsignificantly higher affinity than B7 binding to the CD28 receptor. TheCTLA4Ig construct has a first amino acid sequence corresponding to theextracellular domain of the CTLA4 receptor fused to a second amino acidsequence corresponding to the human Ig C␣1 domain. The first amino acidsequence contains amino acid residues from about position 1 to aboutposition 125 of the amino acid sequence corresponding to theextracellular domain of CTLA4 joined to a second amino acid sequencecontaining amino acid residues corresponding to the hinge, CH2 and CH3regions of human IgC␣1. The fusion protein is preferably produced indimeric form. Soluble CTLA4Ig is a potent inhibitor in vitro of T and Blymphocyte responses.

Also contemplated in the invention are soluble CTLA4 and hybrid fusionproteins thereof, e.g., soluble hybrid fusion proteins, such asCD28/CTLA4Ig fusion proteins. The extracellular domain of CTLA4 is anexample of a soluble CTLA4 molecule. Alternatively, a molecule havingthe extracellular domain of CTLA4 attached to a peptide tag is anotherexample of a soluble CTLA4 molecule.

As an example of a soluble hybrid fusion protein, the present inventionprovides CD28/CTLA4Ig fusion proteins having a first amino acid sequencecorresponding to fragments of the extracellular domain of CD28 joined toa second amino acid sequence corresponding to fragments of theextracellular domain of CTLA4Ig and a third amino acid sequencecorresponding to the hinge, CH2 and CH3 regions of human IgCγ1. Oneembodiment of the hybrid fusion proteins is a CD28/CTLA4 Ig fusionconstruct having a first amino acid sequence containing amino acidresidues from about position 1 to about position 94 of the amino acidsequence corresponding to the extracellular domain of CD28, joined to asecond amino acid sequence containing amino acid residues from aboutposition 94 to about position 125 of the amino acid sequencecorresponding to the extracellular domain of CTLA4, joined to a thirdamino acid sequence containing amino acids residues corresponding to thehinge, CH2 and CH3 regions of human IgCγ1. Other embodiments of thehybrid fusion proteins of the invention are described in Tables I and IIand Example 7.

Also included in the invention is a method for regulating T cellinteractions with other cells by inhibiting the interaction ofCTLA4-positive T cells with B7 positive cells by reacting the T cellswith ligands for the CTLA4 receptor. The ligands include B7Ig fusionprotein, a monoclonal antibody reactive with CTLA4 receptor, andantibody fragments.

The invention also provides a method for regulating T cell interactionswith B7 positive cells, using a ligand for the B7 antigen. Such a ligandis soluble CTLA4 fusion protein, e.g., CTLA4Ig fusion protein, of theinvention, its fragments or derivatives, soluble CD28/CTLA4 hybridfusion protein, e.g., the CD28/CTLA4Ig hybrid fusion protein, or amonoclonal antibody reactive with the B7 antigen.

The invention further includes a method for treating immune systemdiseases mediated by T cell interactions with B7 positive cells byadministering a ligand reactive with B7 antigen to regulate T cellinteractions with B7 positive cells. The ligand is the CTLA4Ig fusionprotein, or the CD28/CTLA4Ig fusion protein hybrid, or a monoclonalantibody reactive with B7 antigen.

A monoclonal antibody reactive with soluble CTLA4 fusion protein and amonoclonal antibody reactive with soluble CD28/CTLA4 fusion protein aredescribed for use in regulating cellular interactions.

A novel Chinese Hamster Ovary cell line stably expressing the CTLA4Igfusion protein is also disclosed.

Further, the present invention provides a method for blocking B7interaction so as to regulate the immune response. This method comprisescontacting lymphocytes with a B7-binding molecule and an IL4-bindingmolecule.

Additionally, the present invention provides a method for regulating animmune response which comprises contacting B7-positive lymphocytes witha B7-binding molecule and an IL4-binding molecule.

Also, the invention provides method for inhibiting tissue transplantrejection by a subject, the subject being a recipient of transplantedtissue. This method comprises administering to the subject a B7-bindingmolecule and an IL4-binding molecule.

The present invention further provides a method for inhibiting graftversus host disease in a subject which comprises administering to thesubject a B7-binding molecule and an IL4-binding molecule.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of CTLA4Ig fusion constructs(SEQ ID NO:33; SEQ ID NO:34) as described in Example 2, infra.

FIG. 2 is a photograph of a gel obtained from SDS-PAGE chromatographicpurification of CTLA4Ig as described in Example 2, infra.

FIG. 3 depicts the complete amino acid sequence encoding human CTLA4receptor (SEQ ID NOs: 13 and 14) fused to the oncostatin M signalpeptide (position −25 to −1), and including the newly identifiedN-linked glycosylation site (position 109-111), as described in Example3, infra.

FIG. 4 depicts the results of FACS^(R) analysis of binding of the B7Igfusion protein to CD28- and CTLA4-transfected COS cells as described inExample 4, infra.

FIG. 5 depicts the results of FACS^(R) analysis of binding of purifiedCTLA4Ig on B7 antigen-positive (B7⁺) CHO cells and on a lymphoblastoidcell line (PM LCL) as described in Example 4, infra.

FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating competition binding analysis of ¹²⁵Ilabeled B7Ig to immobilized CTLA4Ig as described in Example 4, infra.

FIG. 7 is a graph showing the results of Scatchard analysis of¹²⁵I-labeled B7Ig binding to immobilized CTLA4Ig as described in Example4, infra.

FIG. 8 is a photograph of a gel from SDS-PAGE chromatography ofimmunoprecipitation analysis of B7 positive CHO cells and PM LCL cellssurface-labeled with ¹²⁵I as described in Example 4, infra.

FIG. 9 is a graph depicting the effects on proliferation of T cells ofCTLA4Ig as measured by [³H]-thymidine incorporation as described inExample 4, infra.

FIG. 10 is a bar graph illustrating the effects of CTLA4Ig on helper Tcell (T_(h))-induced immunoglobulin secretion by human B cells asdetermined by enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) as described in Example 4,infra.

FIGS. 11A, 11B, and 11C are line graphs showing the survival of humanpancreatic islet xenografts.

FIGS. 12A, 12B, 12C, and 12D are photographs of histopathology slides ofhuman islets transplanted under the kidney capsule of B10 mice.

FIG. 13 is a line graph showing the prolongation of islet graft survivalwith MAb to human B7.

FIG. 14 is a line graph showing induction of donor-specificunresponsiveness to islet graft antigens by CTLA4Ig.

FIG. 15 is a line graph showing antibody serum titer levels of miceinjected with sheep red blood cells (SRBC), mAb L6 and rat Ig, mAb L6and anti-IL4, CTLA4Ig and rat Ig, CTLA4Ig and anti-IL4. The X axismeasures the antibody-serum titer. The Y axis measures time in days. Theclosed box represents mice injected with SRBC at day 0 and day 46. Theopen box represents mice injected with SRBC at day 46. The closed circlerepresents mice injected with mAb L6 and rat immunoglobulin. The opencircle represents mice injected with mAb L6 and anti-IL4 antibody. Theclosed triangle represents mice injected with CTLA4Ig and ratimmunoglobulin. The open triangle represents mice injected with CTLA4Igand anti-IL4 antibody.

FIG. 16 is a line graph showing antibody serum titer levels of miceinjected with KLH, mAb L6 and rat Ig, mAb L6 and anti-IL4, CTLA4Ig andrat Ig, CTLA4Ig and anti-IL4. The X axis measures the antibody-serumtiter. The Y axis measures time in days. The closed box represents miceinjected with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) at day 46. The closedcircle represents mice injected with mAb L6 and rat immunoglobulin. Theopen circle represents mice injected with mAb L6 and anti-IL4 antibody.The closed triangle represents mice injected with CTLA4Ig and ratimmunoglobulin. The open triangle represents mice injected with CTLA4Igand anti-IL4 antibody.

FIG. 17 is a graph showing the sequencing alignment of CD28 and CTLA4family members. Sequences of human (H) (SEQ ID NO:21), mouse (M) (SEQ IDNO:19), rat (R) SEQ ID NO:20, and chicken (Ch) (SEQ ID NO:22) CD28 arealigned with human and mouse CTLA4 (SEQ ID NO:17; SEQ ID NO:18).Residues are numbered from the mature protein N-terminus with the signalpeptides and transmembrane domains underlined and the CDR-analogousregions noted. Dark shaded areas highlight complete conservation ofresidues while light shaded areas highlight conservative amino acidsubstitutions in all family members.

FIG. 18 is a line graph showing CTLA4Ig and CD28Ig mutants (SEQ IDNO:24; SEQ ID NO:26; SEQ ID NO:27; SEQ ID NO:29) bind B7-1.

FIG. 19 is a schematic map of CTLA4/CD28Ig hybrid fusion proteins. Openareas represent CD28 sequence; filled areas represent CTLA4 sequence;cross-hatched areas represent beginning of IgG Fc (also refer to TableI).

FIGS. 20 a and 20 b. A line graph showing that CTLA4/CD28Ig hybridfusion proteins bind with high avidity to B7-1 CHO cells.

FIG. 21. Molecular model of monomeric CTLA4Ig v-like extracellulardomain.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Definition

As used in this application, the following words or phrases have themeanings specified.

As used herein “blocking B7 interaction” means to interfere with thebinding of the B7 antigen to its ligands such as CD28 and/or CTLA4thereby obstructing T cell and B cell interaction.

As used herein a “B7-binding molecule” means any molecule which willbind the B7 antigen.

As used herein an “IL4-binding molecule” means any molecule which willrecognize and bind to IL4.

As used herein a “CTLA4 mutant” means a molecule having amino acidswhich are similar to the amino acid sequence of the extracellular domainof CTLA4 so that the molecule recognizes and binds a B7 antigen.

As used herein a “CD28 mutant” means a molecule having amino acids whichare similar to the amino acid sequence of the extracellular domain ofCD28 so that the molecule recognizes and binds a B7 antigen.

As used herein a “CTLA4/CD28 hybrid fusion protein” is a molecule havingat least portions of the extracellular domains of both CTLA4 and CD28 sothat the molecule recognizes and binds a B7 antigen.

In order that the invention herein described may be more fullyunderstood, the following description is set forth.

This invention is directed to the isolation and expression of the humanCTLA4 receptor found on T cell surfaces, which binds to the B7 antigenexpressed on activated B cells, and cells of other lineages, and toexpression of soluble fusion protein products of the CTLA4 receptorgene. The invention also provides methods for using the expressed CTLA4receptor to regulate cellular interactions, including T cellinteractions with B7 positive cells.

In a preferred embodiment, the complete and correct DNA sequenceencoding the amino acid sequence corresponding to human CTLA4 receptorprotein of the invention is cloned using PCR. The cDNA containing thecomplete predicted coding sequence of CTLA4 was assembled from two PCRfragments amplified from H38 RNA, and inserted into the expressionvector, CDM8 as described in detail in the Examples, infra. Isolateswere transfected into COS cells and tested for binding of B7Ig, asoluble fusion protein having an amino acid sequence corresponding tothe extracellular domain of B7 and a human immunoglobulin (Ig) Cγ1region, as described by Linsley et al., J. Exp. Med. 173:721-730 (1991).

The DNA sequence of one isolate, designated as OMCTLA4, was thendetermined and found to correspond exactly to the predicted human CTLA4sequence, fused at the N-terminus to the signal peptide from oncostatinM. The CTLA4 receptor is encoded by 187 amino acids (exclusive of thesignal peptide and stop codons) and includes a newly identified N-linkedglycosylation site at amino acid positions 109-111 (see FIG. 3, infra).The CTLA4 receptor is expressed using the oncostatin M signal peptide.

In another preferred embodiment, soluble forms of the protein product ofthe CTLA4 receptor gene (CTLA4Ig) are prepared using fusion proteinshaving a first amino acid sequence corresponding to the extracellulardomain of CTLA4 and a second amino acid sequence corresponding to thehuman IgCγ1 domain.

Cloning and expression plasmids (CDM8 and πLN) were constructedcontaining cDNAs encoding portions of the amino acid sequencecorresponding to human CTLA4 receptor based on the cDNA sequencedescribed herein, where the cDNA encoding a first amino acid sequencecorresponding to a fragment of the extracellular domain of the CTLA4receptor gene is joined to DNA encoding a second amino acid sequencecorresponding to an IgC region that permits the expression of the CTLA4receptor gene by altering the solubility of the expressed CTLA4 protein.

Thus, soluble CTLA4Ig fusion protein is encoded by a first amino acidsequence containing amino acid residues from about position 1 to aboutposition 125 of the amino acid sequence corresponding to theextracellular domain of CTLA4 joined to a second amino acid sequencecontaining amino acid residues corresponding to the hinge, CH2 and CH3regions of human IgCγ1. The fusion protein is preferably produced indimeric form. The construct was then transfected into COS or CHO cells,and CTLA4Ig was purified and identified as a dimer.

In accordance with the practice of this invention, CTLA4Ig and theCTLA4/CD28 fusion protein hybrid may have amino acid substitutions inthe amino acid sequence corresponding to the external domain of CTLA4 soas to produce molecules which would retain the functional property ofCTLA4, namely, the molecule having such substitutions will still bindthe B7 antigen. These amino acid substitutions include, but are notnecessarily limited to, amino acid substitutions known in the art as“conservative”.

For example, it is a well-established principle of protein chemistrythat certain amino acid substitutions, entitled “conservative amino acidsubstitutions,” can frequently be made in a protein without alteringeither the conformation or the function of the protein.

Such changes include substituting any of isoleucine (D, valine (V), andleucine (L) for any other of these hydrophobic amino acids; asparticacid (D) for glutamic acid (E) and vice versa; glutamine (Q) forasparagine (N) and vice versa; and serine (S) for threonine (T) and viceversa. Other substitutions can also be considered conservative,depending on the environment of the particular amino acid and its rolein the three-dimensional structure of the protein. For example, glycine(G) and alanine (A) can frequently be interchangeable, as can alanineand valine (V).

Methionine (M), which is relatively hydrophobic, can frequently beinterchanged with leucine and isoleucine, and sometimes with valine.Lysine (K) and arginine (R) are frequently interchangeable in locationsin which the significant feature of the amino acid residue is its chargeand the differing pK's of these two amino acid residues are notsignificant. Still other changes can be considered “conservative” inparticular environments.

In fact, using the methodologies disclosed herein, mutants of theB7-binding molecule were produced. One mutant comprises (1) a sequencebeginning with the amino acid at position 1 and ending with the aminoacid at position 95 of the CD28 receptor protein; (2) a sequencebeginning with the amino acid at position 95 and ending with amino acidat position 125 of the extracellular domain of CTLA4; and (3) a sequencecorresponding to the human IgCγ1 domain.

The second mutant comprises (1) a sequence beginning with the amino acidat position 1 and ending with the amino acid at position 95 of the CD28receptor protein; (2) a sequence beginning with the amino acid atposition 95 and ending with amino acid at position 120 of theextracellular domain of CTLA4; and (3) a sequence corresponding to thehuman IgCγ1 domain.

The present invention provides a method for blocking B7 interaction soas to regulate the immune response which comprises contactinglymphocytes with a B7-binding molecule and an IL4-binding molecule. Thelymphocytes may be B7 positive lymphocytes.

Further, the present invention provides a method for regulating animmune response which comprises contacting B7-positive lymphocytes witha B7-binding molecule and an IL4-binding molecule.

The immune response may be a B cell response resulting in the inhibitionof antibody production. Additionally, the immune response may be a Tcell response resulting in inhibition of cell mediated immunity.Further, the immune response may be an inhibition of lymphocyteproliferation.

Also, the present invention provides a method for inhibiting tissuetransplant rejection by a subject, the subject being a recipient oftransplanted tissue. This method can comprise administering to thesubject a B7-binding molecule and an IL4-binding molecule.

The invention further provides a method for inhibiting graft versus hostdisease in a subject which comprises administering to the subject aB7-binding molecule and an IL4-binding molecule.

In accordance with the practice of this invention, the B7-bindingmolecule may be a CTLA4Ig fusion protein. For example, the CTLA4Igfusion protein may be a fusion protein having a first amino acidsequence containing amino acid residues from about position 1 to aboutposition 125 of the amino acid sequence corresponding to theextracellular domain of CTLA4 and a second amino acid sequencecontaining amino acid residues corresponding to the hinge, CH2 and CH3regions of human immunoglobulin Cγ1.

Alternatively, the B7-binding molecule may be a soluble CD28/CTLA4hybrid fusion protein. For example, the CD28/CTLA4 Ig fusion proteinhybrid may be a fusion protein hybrid having a first amino acid sequencecorresponding to a portion of the extracellular domain of CD28 receptorfused to a second amino acid sequence corresponding to a portion of theextracellular domain of CTLA4 receptor and a third amino acid sequencecorresponding to the hinge, CH2 and CH3 regions of human immunoglobulinCγ1.

Further, the IL4-binding molecule may be a monoclonal antibody whichspecifically recognizes and binds to IL4. Alternatively, the IL4-bindingmolecule is a soluble IL4 receptor which recognizes and binds to IL4(Fanslow et al. 1991).

DNA encoding the amino acid sequence corresponding to the CTLA4Ig fusionprotein has been deposited with the American Type Culture Collection(ATCC) in Rockville, Md., under the provisions of the Budapest Treaty onMay 31, 1991 and has been accorded ATCC accession number: 68629.

The present invention provides the first protein product of CTLA4transcripts in the form of a soluble fusion protein. The CTLA4Ig proteinforms a disulfide-linked dimer having two subunits, each of which has anM_(r) of approximately 50,000 indicating that native CTLA4 probablyexists on the T cell surface as a disulfide-linked homodimer.

B7 antigen has been shown to be a ligand for CD28 receptor on T cells(Linsley et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, supra). The CTLA4 receptormolecule appears functionally and structurally related to the CD28receptor; both are receptors for the B cell activation antigen, B7,while CTLA4 appears to have higher affinity for B7, among the highestyet reported for lymphoid adhesion systems. However, CTLA4Ig was shownto bind more strongly to B7 positive (B7⁺) cell lines than CD28Ig. Otherexperiments demonstrated that CTLA4 is a higher affinity receptor for B7antigen than CD28 receptor. Additionally, CTLA4Ig was shown to bind asingle protein on lymphoblastoid cells which is similar in size to theB7 antigen. CTLA4Ig inhibited T cell proliferation and inhibitedT_(h)-induced IgM production.

In another preferred embodiment, hybrid fusion proteins having aminoacid sequences corresponding to fragments of different receptor proteinswere constructed. For example, amino acid sequences corresponding toselected fragments of the extracellular domains of CD28 and CTLA4 werelinked to form soluble CD28/CTLA4 hybrid fusion proteins, e.g. aCD28/CTLA4Ig fusion protein. This protein was obtained having a firstamino acid sequence containing amino acid residues corresponding to afragment of the extracellular domain of CD28 joined to a second aminoacid sequence corresponding to a fragment of the extracellular domain ofCTLA4Ig and to a third amino acid sequence corresponding to the hinge,CH2 and CH3 regions of human IgCγ1.

One embodiment of the hybrid fusion proteins is a CD28/CTLA4Ig fusionconstruct having a first amino acid sequence containing amino acidresidues from about position 1 to about position 94 of the amino acidsequence corresponding to the extracellular domain of CD28, joined to asecond amino acid sequence containing amino acid residues from aboutposition 94 to about position 125 of the amino acid sequencecorresponding to the extracellular domain of CTLA4, joined to a thirdamino acid sequence corresponding to the hinge, CH2 and CH3 regions ofhuman IgCγ1.

The techniques for cloning and expressing DNA sequences encoding theamino acid sequences corresponding to the CTLA4 receptor protein,soluble fusion proteins and hybrid fusion proteins, e.g synthesis ofoligonucleotides, PCR, transforming cells, constructing vectors,expression systems, and the like are well-established in the art, andmost practitioners are familiar with the standard resource materials forspecific conditions and procedures. However, the following paragraphsare provided for convenience and notation of modifications wherenecessary, and may serve as a guideline.

Cloning and Expression of Coding Sequences for Receptors and FusionProteins

Fusion protein constructs corresponding to CD28IgCγ1 and B7IgCγ1 forcharacterizing the CTLA4 Ig of the present invention, and for preparingCD28/CTLA4 hybrid fusion proteins, were prepared as described by Linsleyet al., J. Exp. Med. 173:721-730 (1991), incorporated by referenceherein. Alternatively, cDNA clones may be prepared from RNA obtainedfrom cells expressing B7 antigen and CD28 receptor based on knowledge ofthe published sequences for these proteins (Aruffo and Seed, andFreeman, supra) using standard procedures.

CTLA4Ig fusions consisting of DNA encoding amino acid sequencescorresponding to the extracellular domain of CTLA4 and the hinge, CH2and CH3 regions of human IgCγ1 were constructed by ligation of PCRfragments. The cDNA encoding the amino acid sequences is amplified usingthe polymerase chain reaction (“PCR”) technique (U.S. Pat. Nos.4,683,195 and 4,683,202 to Mullis et al. and Mullis & Faloona, MethodsEnzymol. 154:335-350 (1987)). CTLA4Ig fusion polypeptides were obtainedhaving DNA encoding amino acid sequences containing amino acid residuesfrom about position 1 to about position 125 of the amino acid sequencecorresponding to the extracellular domain of CTLA4 and DNA encodingamino acid sequences corresponding to the hinge, CH2 and CH3 regions ofIg Cγ1.

Because the expression of CTLA4 receptor protein in human lymphoid cellshas not been previously reported, it was necessary to locate a source ofCTLA4 mRNA. PCR cDNA made from the total cellular RNA of several humanleukemia cell lines was screened, using as primers, oligonucleotidesfrom the published sequence of the CTLA4 gene (Dariavach et al., supra).Of the cDNA tested, H38 cells (an HTLV II-associated leukemia line)provided the best yield of PCR products having the expected size. Sincea signal peptide for CTLA4 was not identified in the CTLA4 gene, the Nterminus of the predicted sequence of CTLA4 was fused to the signalpeptide of oncostatin M (Malik et al., Molec. and Cell. Biol. 9:2847(1989)) in two steps using oligonucleotides as described in theExamples, infra. The product of the PCR reaction was ligated with cDNAencoding the amino acid sequences corresponding to the hinge, CH2 andCH3 regions of Ig Cγ1 into an expression vector, such as CDM8 or πLN.

To obtain DNA encoding full length human CTLA4, a cDNA encoding thetransmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of CTLA4 was obtained by PCR fromH38 cells and joined with a fragment from CTLA4Ig, obtained as describedabove, encoding the oncostatin M signal peptide fused to the N terminusof CTLA4, using oligonucleotide primers as described in the Examples,infra. PCR fragments were ligated into the plasmid CDM8, resulting in anexpression plasmid encoding the full length CTLA4 gene, and designatedOMCTLA4.

For construction of DNA encoding the amino acid sequence correspondingto hybrid fusion proteins, DNA encoding amino acids corresponding toportions of the extracellular domain of one receptor gene is joined toDNA encoding amino acids corresponding to portions of the extracellulardomain of another receptor gene, and to DNA encoding the amino acidsequences corresponding to the hinge, CH2 and CH3 regions of human IgCγ1using procedures as described above for the B7Ig, CD28Ig and CTLA4Igconstructs. Thus, for example, DNA encoding amino acid residues fromabout position 1 to about position 94 of the amino acid sequencecorresponding to the extracellular domain of the CD28 receptor is joinedto DNA encoding amino acid residues from about position 94 to aboutposition 125 of the amino acid sequence corresponding to theextracellular domain of the CTLA4 receptor and to DNA encoding the aminoacid sequences corresponding to the hinge, CH2 and CH3 regions of humanIgCγ1.

To produce large quantities of cloned DNA, vectors containing DNAencoding the fusion constructs of the invention are transformed intosuitable host cells, such as the bacterial cell line E. coli strainMC1061/p3 (Invitrogen Corp., San Diego, Calif.) using standardprocedures, and colonies are screened for the appropriate plasmids.

The clones containing DNA encoding fusion constructs obtained asdescribed above are then transfected into suitable host cells forexpression. Depending on the host cell used, transfection is performedusing standard techniques appropriate to such cells. For example,transfection into mammalian cells is accomplished using DEAE-Dextran™mediated transfection, CaPO₄ co-precipitation, lipofection,electroporation, or protoplast fusion, and other methods known in theart including: lysozyme fusion or erythrocyte fusion, scraping, directuptake, osmotic or sucrose shock, direct microinjection, indirectmicroinjection such as via erythrocyte-mediated techniques, and/or bysubjecting host cells to electric currents. The above list oftransfection techniques is not considered to be exhaustive, as otherprocedures for introducing genetic information into cells will no doubtbe developed.

Expression in eukaryotic host cell cultures derived from multicellularorganisms is preferred (Tissue Cultures, Academic Press, Cruz andPatterson, Eds. (1973)). These systems have the additional advantage ofthe ability to splice out introns and thus can be used directly toexpress genomic fragments. Useful host cell lines include Chinesehamster ovary (CHO), monkey kidney (COS), VERO and HeLa cells. In thepresent invention, cell lines stably expressing the fusion constructsare preferred.

Expression vectors for such cells ordinarily include promoters andcontrol sequences compatible with mammalian cells such as, for example,CMV promoter (CDM8 vector) and avian sarcoma virus (ASV) (πLN vector).Other commonly used early and late promoters include those from SimianVirus 40 (SV 40) (Fiers, et al., Nature 273:113 (1973)), or other viralpromoters such as those derived from polyoma, Adenovirus 2, and bovinepapilloma virus. The controllable promoter, hMTII (Karin, et al., Nature299:797-802 (1982)) may also be used. General aspects of mammalian cellhost system transformations have been described by Axel (U.S. Pat. No.4,399,216 issued Aug. 16, 1983). It now appears, that “enhancer” regionsare important in optimizing expression; these are, generally, sequencesfound upstream or downstream of the promoter region in non-coding DNAregions. Origins of replication may be obtained, if needed, from viralsources. However, integration into the chromosome is a common mechanismfor DNA replication in eukaryotes.

Although preferred host cells for expression of the fusion constructsinclude eukaryotic cells such as COS or CHO cells, other eukaryoticmicrobes may be used as hosts. Laboratory strains of Saccharomycescerevisiae, Baker's yeast, are most used although other strains such asSchizosaccharomyces pombe may be used. Vectors employing, for example,the 2μ origin of replication of Broach, Meth. Enz. 101:307 (1983), orother yeast compatible origins of replications (for example, Stinchcombet al., Nature 282:39 (1979)); Tschempe et al., Gene 10:157 (1980); andClarke et al., Meth. Enz. 101:300 (1983)) may be used. Control sequencesfor yeast vectors include promoters for the synthesis of glycolyticenzymes (Hess et al., J. Adv. Enzyme Reg. 7:149 (1968); Holland et al.,Biochemistry 17:4900 (1978)). Additional promoters known in the artinclude the CMV promoter provided in the CDM8 vector (Toyama andOkayama, FEBS 268:217-221 (1990); the promoter for 3-phosphoglyceratekinase (Hitzeman et al., J. Biol. Chem. 255:2073 (1980)), and those forother glycolytic enzymes. Other promoters, which have the additionaladvantage of transcription controlled by growth conditions are thepromoter regions for alcohol dehydrogenase 2, isocytochrome C, acidphosphatase, degradative enzymes associated with nitrogen metabolism,and enzymes responsible for maltose and galactose utilization. It isalso believed terminator sequences are desirable at the 3′ end of thecoding sequences. Such terminators are found in the 3′ untranslatedregion following the coding sequences in yeast-derived genes.

Alternatively, prokaryotic cells may be used as hosts for expression.Prokaryotes most frequently are represented by various strains of E.coli; however, other microbial strains may also be used. Commonly usedprokaryotic control sequences which are defined herein to includepromoters for transcription initiation, optionally with an operator,along with ribosome binding site sequences, include such commonly usedpromoters as the beta-lactamase (penicillinase) and lactose (lac)promoter systems (Chang et al., Nature 198: 1056 (1977)), the tryptophan(trp) promoter system (Goeddel et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 8:4057 (1980))and the lambda derived P_(L) promoter and N-gene ribosome binding site(Shimatake et al., Nature 292:128 (1981)).

The nucleotide sequences encoding CD28Ig and CTLA4 Ig proteins, andfusion hybrid proteins such as CD28/CTLA4Ig, may be expressed in avariety of systems as set forth below. The cDNA may be excised bysuitable restriction enzymes and ligated into suitable prokaryotic oreukaryotic expression vectors for such expression. Because CD28 andCTLA4 receptor proteins occur in nature as dimers, it is believed thatsuccessful expression of these proteins requires an expression systemwhich permits these proteins to form as dimers. Truncated versions ofthese proteins (i.e. formed by introduction of a stop codon into thesequence at a position upstream of the transmembrane region of theprotein) appear not to be expressed. The expression of CD28 and CTLA4receptors as fusion proteins permits dimer formation of these proteins.Thus, expression of CTLA4 protein as a fusion product is preferred inthe present invention.

A stable CHO line of the invention, designated Chinese Hamster OvaryCell Line CTLA4Ig-24, is preferred for expression of CTLA4Ig and hasbeen deposited with the ATCC under the terms of the Budapest Treaty onMay 31, 1991, and accorded ATCC accession number 10762.

Expression of the CTLA4 receptor of the invention is accomplishedtransfecting a cell line such as COS cells, and detecting expression bybinding of the CTLA4-transfected cells to a ligand for the CTLA4receptor, for example by testing for binding of the cells to B7Ig fusionprotein.

Sequences of the resulting constructs are confirmed by DNA sequencingusing known procedures, for example as described by Sanger et al., Proc.Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74:5463 (1977), as further described by Messing etal., Nucleic Acids Res. 9:309 (1981), or by the method of Maxam et al.Methods Enzymol. 65:499 (1980).

Recovery of Protein Products

As noted above, CD28 and CTLA4 receptor genes are not readily expressedas mature proteins using direct expression of DNA encoding the truncatedprotein. To enable homodimer formation, DNA encoding the amino acidsequence corresponding to the extracellular domains of CD28 and CTLA4,and including the codons for a signal sequence such as that ofoncostatin M in cells capable of appropriate processing, is fused withDNA encoding the amino acid sequence corresponding to the Fc domain of anaturally dimeric protein. Purification of these fusion protein productsafter secretion from the cells is thus facilitated using antibodiesreactive with the anti-immunoglobulin portion of the fusion proteins.When secreted into the medium, the fusion protein product is recoveredusing standard protein purification techniques, for example byapplication to protein A columns.

Use

CTLA4Ig fusion protein and/or fragments of the fusion protein may beused to react with B7 positive cells, such as B cells, to regulateimmune responses mediated by T cell interactions with the B7 antigenpositive cells or in vitro for leukocyte typing so as to define B cellmaturational stages and/or B cell associated diseases (Yokochi et al. J.Immuno. 128(2):823). Surface immunostaining of leukocytes isaccomplished by immunofluorescent technology or immunoenzymatic methodsbut other means of detection are possible.

Soluble CTLA4 proteins and CTLA4/CD28 hybrid fusion proteins, and/orfragments and derivatives of these proteins, may also be used to reactwith B7 positive cells, including B cells, to regulate immune responsesmediated by T cell dependent B cell responses. The term “fragment” asused herein means a portion of the amino acid sequence encoding theprotein referred to as “CTLA4”. A fragment of the soluble CTLA4 proteinthat may be used is a polypeptide having an amino acid sequencecorresponding to some portion of the amino acid sequence correspondingto the CTLA4 receptor used to obtain the soluble CTLA4 protein asdescribed herein.

The B7 antigen expressed on activated B cells and cells of otherlineages, and the CD28 receptor expressed on T cells, can directly bindto each other, and this interaction can mediate cell-cell interaction.Such interactions directly trigger the CD28 activation pathway in Tcells, leading to cytokine production, T cell proliferation, and B celldifferentiation into immunoglobulin producing cells. The activation of Bcells that occurs, can cause increased expression of B7 antigen andfurther CD28 stimulation, leading to a state of chronic inflammationsuch as in autoimmune diseases, allograft rejection, graft versus hostdisease or chronic allergic reactions. Blocking or inhibiting thisreaction may be effective in preventing T cell cytokine production andthus preventing or reversing inflammatory reactions.

Soluble CTLA4, e.g. CTLA4Ig, is shown herein to be a potent inhibitor ofin vitro lymphocyte functions requiring T and B cell interaction. Thisindicates the importance of interactions between the B7 antigen and itscounter-receptors, CTLA4 and/or CD28. The cytoplasmic domains of murineand human CTLA4 are similar (Dariavach et al., supra, 1988), suggestingthat this region has important functional properties. The cytoplasmicdomains of CD28 and CTLA4 also share homology.

CTLA4 is a more potent inhibitor in vitro of lymphocyte responses thaneither anti-BB1, or anti-CD28 mAbs. CTLA4Ig does not have directstimulatory effects on T cell proliferation to counteract its inhibitoryeffects. Therefore, the CTLA4Ig fusion protein may perform as a betterinhibitor in vivo than anti-CD28 monoclonal antibodies. Theimmunosuppressive effects of CTLA4Ig in vitro suggests its use intherapy for treatment of autoimmune disorders involving abnormal T cellactivation or Ig production.

The CTLA4Ig fusion protein is expected to exhibit inhibitory propertiesin vivo. Thus, it is expected that CTLA4Ig will act to inhibit T cellsin a manner similar to the effects observed for the anti-CD28 antibody,under similar conditions in vivo. Under conditions where T cell/B cellinteractions are occurring as a result of contact between T cells and Bcells, binding of introduced CTLA4Ig to react with B7 antigen positivecells, for example B cells, may interfere, i.e. inhibit, the T cell/Bcell interactions resulting in regulation of immune responses. Becauseof this exclusively inhibitory effect, CTLA4 Ig is expected to be usefulin vivo as an inhibitor of T cell activity, over non-specific inhibitorssuch as cyclosporine and glucosteroids.

In one embodiment, the CTLA4Ig fusion protein or CTLA4/CD28Ig hybridproteins, may be introduced in a suitable pharmaceutical carrier invivo, i.e. administered into a human subject for treatment ofpathological conditions such as immune system diseases or cancer.

Introduction of the fusion protein in vivo is expected to result ininterference with T cell interactions with other cells, such as B cells,as a result of binding of the ligand to B7 positive cells. Theprevention of normal T cell interactions may result in decreased T cellactivity, for example, decreased T cell proliferation. In addition,administration of the fusion protein in vivo is expected to result inregulation of in vivo levels of cytokines, including, but not limitedto, interleukins, e.g. interleukin (“IL”)-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8,growth factors including tumor growth factor (“TGF”), colony stimulatingfactor (“CSF”), interferons (“IFNs”), and tumor necrosis factor (“TNF”)to promote desired effects in a subject. For example, when the fusionprotein is introduced in vivo, it may block production of cytokines,which contribute to malignant growth, for example of tumor cells. Thefusion protein may also block proliferation of viruses dependent on Tcell activation, such as the virus that causes AIDS, HTLV1.

Under some circumstances, as noted above, the effect of administrationof the CTLA4Ig fusion protein or its fragments in vivo is inhibitory,resulting from blocking by the fusion protein of the CTLA4 and CD28triggering resulting from T cell/B cell contact. For example, theCTLA4Ig protein may block T cell proliferation. Introduction of theCTLA4Ig fusion protein in vivo will thus produce effects on both T and Bcell-mediated immune responses. The fusion protein may also beadministered to a subject in combination with the introduction ofcytokines or other therapeutic reagents.

In an additional embodiment of the invention, other reagents, includingderivatives reactive with the CTLA4Ig fusion protein or the CTLA4receptor are used to regulate T cell interactions. For example,antibodies, and/or antibody fragments reactive with the CTLA4 receptormay be screened to identify those capable of inhibiting the binding ofthe CTLA4 Ig fusion protein to the B7 antigen. The antibodies orantibody fragments such as Fab or F(ab′)₂ fragments, may then be used toreact with the T cells, for example, to inhibit T cell proliferation.

Monoclonal antibodies reactive with CTLA4 receptor, may be produced byhybridomas prepared using known procedures, such as those introduced byKohler and Milstein (Kohler and Milstein, Nature, 256:495-97 (1975)),and modifications thereof, to regulate cellular interactions.

These techniques involve the use of an animal which is primed to producea particular antibody. The animal can be primed by injection of animmunogen (e.g. the B7Ig fusion protein, CTLA4Ig fusion protein orCD28/CTLA4Ig hybrid fusion protein or other functional, soluble formsthereof) to elicit the desired immune response, i.e. production ofantibodies from the primed animal. A primed animal is also one which isexpressing a disease. Lymphocytes derived from the lymph nodes, spleensor peripheral blood of primed, diseased animals can be used to searchfor a particular antibody. The lymphocyte chromosomes encoding desiredimmunoglobulins are immortalized by fusing the lymphocytes with myelomacells, generally in the presence of a fusing agent such as polyethyleneglycol (PEG). Any of a number of myeloma cell lines may be used as afusion partner according to standard techniques; for example, theP3-NS1/1-Ag4-1, P3-x63-Ag8.653, Sp2/0-Ag14, or HL1-653 myeloma lines.These myeloma lines are available from the ATCC, Rockville, Md.

The resulting cells, which include the desired hybridomas, are thengrown in a selective medium such as HAT medium, in which unfusedparental myeloma or lymphocyte cells eventually die. Only the hybridomacells survive and can be grown under limiting dilution conditions toobtain isolated clones. The supernatants of the hybridomas are screenedfor the presence of the desired specificity, e.g. by immunoassaytechniques using the CTLA4Ig protein that has been used forimmunization. Positive clones can then be subcloned under limitingdilution conditions, and the monoclonal antibody produced can beisolated.

Various conventional methods can be used for isolation and purificationof the monoclonal antibodies so as to obtain them free from otherproteins and contaminants. Commonly used methods for purifyingmonoclonal antibodies include ammonium sulfate precipitation, ionexchange chromatography, and affinity chromatography (Zola et al., inMonoclonal Hybridoma Antibodies: Techniques and Applications, Hurell(ed.) pp. 51-52 (CRC Press, 1982)). Hybridomas produced according tothese methods can be propagated in vitro or in vivo (in ascites fluid)using techniques known in the art (Fink et al., Prog. Clin. Pathol.,9:121-33 (1984), FIG. 6-1 at p. 123).

Generally, the individual cell line may be propagated in vitro, forexample, in laboratory culture vessels, and the culture mediumcontaining high concentrations of a single specific monoclonal antibodycan be harvested by decantation, filtration, or centrifugation.

In addition, fragments of these antibodies containing the active bindingregion reactive with the extracellular domain of CTLA4 receptor, such asFab, F(ab′)₂ and Fv fragments may be produced. Such fragments can beproduced using techniques well established in the art (e.g. Rousseaux etal., in Methods Enzymol., 121:663-69, Academic Press (1986)).

Anti-B7 monoclonal antibodies prepared as described above may be used tobind to B7 antigen to inhibit interactions of CD28-positive orCTLA4-positive T cells with B7 positive cells. Anti-CTLA4 monoclonalantibodies may be used to bind to CTLA4 receptor to inhibit theinteraction of CTLA4-positive T cells with other cells.

In another embodiment, the CTLA4Ig fusion protein may be used toidentify additional compounds capable of regulating the interactionbetween CTLA4 and the B7 antigen. Such compounds may include smallnaturally occurring molecules that can be used to react with B cellsand/or T cells. For example, fermentation broths may be tested for theability to inhibit CTLA4/B7 interactions. In addition, derivatives ofthe CTLA4Ig fusion protein as described above may be used to regulate Tcell proliferation. For example, the fragments or derivatives may beused to block T cell proliferation in graft versus host (GVH) diseasewhich accompanies allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

The CD28-mediated T cell proliferation pathway iscyclosporine-resistant, in contrast to proliferation driven by theCD3/Ti cell receptor complex (June et al., 1987, supra). Cyclosporine isrelatively ineffective as a treatment for GVH disease (Storb, Blood68:119-125 (1986)). GVH disease is thought to be mediated by Tlymphocytes which express CD28 antigen (Storb and Thomas, Immunol. Rev.88:215-238 (1985)). Thus, the CTLA4Ig fusion protein may be usefulalone, or in combination with immunosuppressants such as cyclosporine,for blocking T cell proliferation in GVH disease.

Regulation of CTLA4-positive T cell interactions with B7 positive cells,including B cells, by the methods of the invention may thus be used totreat pathological conditions such as autoimmunity, transplantation,infectious diseases and neoplasia.

The B7-binding molecules and IL4-binding molecules described herein maybe in a variety of dosage forms which include, but are not limited to,liquid solutions or suspensions, tablets, pills, powders, suppositories,polymeric microcapsules or microvesicles, liposomes, and injectable orinfusible solutions. The preferred form depends upon the mode ofadministration and the therapeutic application.

The most effective mode of administration and dosage regimen for themolecules of the present invention depends upon the severity and courseof the disease, the subject's health and response to treatment and thejudgment of the treating physician. Accordingly, the dosages of themolecules should be titrated to the individual subject.

The interrelationship of dosages for animals of various sizes andspecies and humans based on mg/m² of surface area is described byFreireich, E. J., et al. (Quantitative Comparison of Toxicity ofAnticancer Agents in Mouse, Rat, Hamster, Dog, Monkey and Man. CancerChemother, Rep., 50, No. 4, 219-244, May 1966).

Adjustments in the dosage regimen may be made to optimize the growthinhibiting response. Doses may be divided and administered on a dailybasis or the dose may be reduced proportionally depending upon thesituation. For example, several divided doses may be administered dailyor the dose may be proportionally reduced as indicated by the specifictherapeutic situation.

In accordance with the practice of the invention an effective amount fortreating a subject may be between about 0.1 and about 10 mg/kg bodyweight of subject. Also, the effective amount may be an amount betweenabout 1 and about 10 mg/kg body weight of subject.

Advantages of the Invention: The subject invention overcomes theproblems associated with current therapies directed to preventing therejection of tissue or organ transplants. In contrast to presenttherapies, the present invention affects only immunological responsesmediated by B7 interactions.

For example, the present invention affects the transplantantigen-specific T cells, thus inducing donor-specific andantigen-specific tolerance. The binding of CD28 by its ligand, B7/BB1(B7), during T cell receptor engagement is critical for proper T cellsignaling in some systems (M. K. Jenkins, P. S. Taylor, S. D. Norton, K.B. Urdahl, J. Immunol. 147:2461 (1991); C. H. June, J. A. Ledbetter, P.S. Linsley, C. B. Thompson, Immunol. Today 11:211 (1990); H. Reiser, G.J. Freeman, Z. Razi-Wolf, C. D. Gimmi, B. Benacerraf, L. M. Nadler,Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 89:271 (1992); N. K. Damle, K. Klussman,P. S. Linsley, A. Aruffo, J. Immunol. 148:1985 (1992)).

When the interaction of CD28 with its ligand is blocked,antigen-specific T cells are inappropriately induced into a state ofantigen-specific T cell anergy (M. K. Jenkins, P. S. Taylor, S. D.Norton, K. B. Urdahl, J. Immunol. 147:2461 (1991); F. A. Harding, J. G.McArthur, J. A. Gross, D. H. Raulet, J. P. Allison, Nature 356:607(1992)).

CTLA4Ig fusion protein binds to both human and murine B7 (with a 20-foldgreater affinity than CD28), blocks the binding of CD28 to B7, inhibitsT cell activation, and induces T cell unresponsiveness in vitro (F. A.Harding, J. G. McArthur, J. A. Gross, D. H. Raulet, J. P. Allison,Nature 356:607 (1992); P. S. Linsley et al., J. Exp. Med. 174:561(1991)).

Moreover, the present invention would be useful to obtain expression ofa soluble protein product of the heretofore unexpressed CTLA4 gene, andto identify a natural ligand for CTLA4 that is involved in functionalresponses of T cells. The soluble protein product could then be used toregulate T cell responses in vivo to treat pathological conditions.

The following examples are presented to illustrate the present inventionand to assist one of ordinary skill in making and using the same. Theexamples are not intended in any way to otherwise limit the scope of theinvention.

Example 1 Preparation of B7Ig and CD28Ig Fusion Proteins

Receptor-immunoglobulin C gamma (IgCγ) fusion proteins B7Ig and CD28Igwere prepared as described by Linsley et al., in J. Exp. Med.173:721-730 (1991), incorporated by reference herein. Briefly, DNAencoding amino acid sequences corresponding to the respective receptorprotein (e.g. B7) was joined to DNA encoding amino acid sequencescorresponding to the hinge, CH2 and CH3 regions of human IgCγ1. This wasaccomplished as follows.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). For PCR, DNA fragments were amplifiedusing primer pairs as described below for each fusion protein. PCRreactions (0.1 ml final volume) were run in Taq polymerase buffer(Stratagene, La Jolla, Calif.), containing 20 μmoles each of dNTP;50-100 pmoles of the indicated primers; template (1 ng plasmid or cDNAsynthesized from ≦1 μg total RNA using random hexamer primer, asdescribed by Kawasaki in PCR Protocols, Academic Press, pp. 21-27(1990), incorporated by reference herein); and Taq polymerase(Stratagene). Reactions were run on a thermocycler (Perkin Elmer Corp.,Norwalk, Conn.) for 16-30 cycles (a typical cycle consisted of steps of1 min at 94° C., 1-2 min at 50° C. and 1-3 min at 72° C.). PlasmidConstruction. Expression plasmids containing cDNA encoding CD28, asdescribed by Aruffo and Seed, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:8573 (1987),were provided by Drs. Aruffo and Seed (Mass General Hospital, Boston,Mass.). Plasmids containing cDNA encoding CD5, as described by Aruffo,Cell 61:1303 (1990), were provided by Dr. Aruffo. Plasmids containingcDNA encoding B7, as described by Freeman et al., J. Immunol. 143:2714(1989), were provided by Dr. Freeman (Dana Farber Cancer Institute,Boston, Mass.). For initial attempts at expression of soluble forms ofCD28 and B7, constructs were made (OMCD28 and OMB7) as described byLinsley et al., J. Exp. Med., supra, in which stop codons wereintroduced upstream of the transmembrane domains and the native signalpeptides were replaced with the signal peptide from oncostatin M (Maliket al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 9:2847 (1989)). These were made using syntheticoligonucleotides for reconstruction (OMCD28) or as primers (OMB7) forPCR. OMCD28, is a CD28 cDNA modified for more efficient expression byreplacing the signal peptide with the analogous region from oncostatinM. CD28Ig and B7Ig fusion constructs were made in two parts. The 5′portions were made using OMCD28 and OMB7 as templates and theoligonucleotide, CTAGCCACTGAAGCTTCACCATGGGTGTACTGCTCACAC (SEQ ID NO:1),(encoding the amino acid sequence corresponding to the oncostatin Msignal peptide) as a forward primer, and eitherTGGCATGGGCTCCTGATCAGGCTTAGAAGGTCCGGGAAA (SEQ ID NO:2), or,TTTGGGCTCCTGATCAGGAAAATGCTCTTGCTTGGTTGT (SEQ ID NO:3) as reverseprimers, respectively. Products of the PCR reactions were cleaved withrestriction endonucleases (Hind III and BclI) as sites introduced in thePCR primers and gel purified.

The 3′ portion of the fusion constructs corresponding to human IgCγ1sequences was made by a coupled reverse transcriptase (from Avianmyeloblastosis virus; Life Sciences Associates, Bayport, N.Y.)-PCRreaction using RNA from a myeloma cell line producing human-mousechimeric mAb L6 (provided by Dr. P. Fell and M. Gayle, Bristol-MyersSquibb Company, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, Wash.) astemplate. The oligonucleotide,AAGCAAGAGCATTTTCCTGATCAGGAGCCCAAATCTTCTGACAAAACTCACACATCCCCACCGTCCCCAGCACCTGAACTCCTG (SEQ ID NO:4), was used as forwardprimer, and CTTCGACCAGTCTAGAAGCATCCTCGTGCGACCGCGAGAGC (SEQ ID NO:5) asreverse primer. Reaction products were cleaved with BclI and XbaI andgel purified. Final constructs were assembled by ligating HindIII/BclIcleaved fragments containing CD28 or B7 sequences together withBclI/XbaI cleaved fragment containing IgCγ1 sequences into HindIII/XbaIcleaved CDM8. Ligation products were transformed into MC1061/p3 E. colicells and colonies were screened for the appropriate plasmids. Sequencesof the resulting constructs were confirmed by DNA sequencing.

The construct encoding B7 contained DNA encoding amino acidscorresponding to amino acid residues from approximately position 1 toapproximately position 215 of the extracellular domain of B7. Theconstruct encoding CD28 contained DNA encoding amino acids correspondingto amino acid residues from approximately position 1 to approximatelyposition 134 of the extracellular domain of CD28.

CD5Ig was constructed in identical fashion, usingCATTGCACAGTCAAGCTTCCATGCCCATGGGTTCTCTGGCCACCTTG (SEQ ID NO:6), asforward primer and ATCCACAGTGCAGTGATCATTTGGATCCTGGCATGTGAC (SEQ ID NO:7)as reverse primer. The PCR product was restriction endonuclease digestedand ligated with the IgCγ1 fragment as described above. The resultingconstruct (CD5Ig) encoded a mature protein having an amino acid sequencecontaining amino acid residues from position 1 to position 347 of thesequence corresponding to CD5, two amino acids introduced by theconstruction procedure (amino acids DQ), followed by DNA encoding aminoacids corresponding to the IgCγ1 hinge region.

Cell Culture and Transfections. COS (monkey kidney cells) weretransfected with expression plasmids expressing CD28 and B7 using amodification of the protocol of Seed and Aruffo (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.84:3365 (1987)), incorporated by reference herein. Cells were seeded at10⁶ per 10 cm diameter culture dish 18-24 h before transfection. PlasmidDNA was added (approximately 15 μg/dish) in a volume of 5 mls ofserum-free DMEM™ containing 0.1 mM chloroquine and 600 μg/ml DEAEDextran™, and cells were incubated for 3-3.5 h at 37° C. Transfectedcells were then briefly treated (approximately 2 min) with 10% dimethylsulfoxide in PBS and incubated at 37° C. for 16-24 h in DMEM™ containing10% FCS. At 24 h after transfection, culture medium was removed andreplaced with serum-free DMEM™ (6 ml/dish). Incubation was continued for3 days at 37° C., at which time the spent medium was collected and freshserum-free medium was added. After an additional 3 days at 37° C., thespent medium was again collected and cells were discarded.

CHO cells expressing CD28, CD5 or B7 were isolated as described byLinsley et al., (1991) supra, as follows: Briefly, stable transfectantsexpressing CD28, CD5, or B7, were isolated following cotransfection ofdihydrofolate reductase-deficient Chinese hamster ovary (dhfr⁻ CHO)cells with a mixture of the appropriate expression plasmid and theselectable marker, pSV2dhfr (Linsley et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA87:5031 (1990)), incorporated by reference herein. Transfectants werethen grown in increasing concentrations of methotrexate to a final levelof 1 μM and were maintained in DMEM™ supplemented with 10% fetal bovineserum (FBS), 0.2 mM proline and 1 μM methotrexate. CHO lines expressinghigh levels of CD28 (CD28⁺CHO) or B7 (B7+CHO) were isolated by multiplerounds of fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS^(R)) followingindirect immunostaining with mAbs 9.3 or BB-1. Amplified CHO cellsnegative for surface expression of CD28 or B7 (dhfr⁺ CHO) were alsoisolated by FACS^(R) from CD28-transfected populations.

Immunostaining and FACS^(R) Analysis. Transfected CHO or COS cells oractivated T cells were analyzed by indirect immunostaining. Beforestaining, CHO cells were removed from their culture vessels byincubation in PBS containing 10 mM EDTA. Cells were first incubated withmurine mAbs 9.3 (Hansen et al., Immunogenetics 10:247 (1980)) or BB-1(Yokochi et al., J. Immunol. 128:823 (1981)), or with Ig fusion proteins(all at 10 μg/ml in DMEM™ containing 10% FCS) for 1-2 h at 4° C. Cellswere then washed, and incubated for an additional 0.5-2 h at 4° C. witha FITC-conjugated second step reagent (goat anti-mouse Ig serum formurine mAbs, or goat anti-human Ig Cγ serum for fusion proteins (Tago,Inc., Burlingame, Calif.)). Fluorescence was analyzed on a FACS IV^(R)cell sorter (Becton Dickinson and CO., Mountain View, Calif.) equippedwith a four decade logarithmic amplifier.

Purification of Ig Fusion Proteins. The first, second and thirdcollections of spent serum-free culture media from transfected COS cellswere used as sources for the purification of Ig fusion proteins. Afterremoval of cellular debris by low speed centrifugation, medium wasapplied to a column (approximately 200-400 ml medium/ml packed bedvolume) of immobilized protein A (Repligen Corp., Cambridge, Mass.)equilibrated with 0.05 M sodium citrate, pH 8.0. After application ofthe medium, the column was washed with 1 M potassium phosphate, pH 8,and bound protein was eluted with 0.05 M sodium citrate, pH 3. Fractionswere collected and immediately neutralized by addition of 1/10 volume of2 M Tris, pH 8. Fractions containing the peak of A₂₈₀ absorbing materialwere pooled and dialyzed against PBS before use. Extinction coefficientsof 2.4 and 2.8 ml/mg for CD28Ig and B7Ig, respectively, were determinedby amino acid analysis of solutions of known absorbance. The recovery ofpurified CD28Ig and B7Ig binding activities was nearly quantitative asjudged by FACS^(R) analysis after indirect fluorescent staining of B7⁺and CD28⁺ CHO cells.

Example 2 Preparation of CTLA4Ig Fusion Protein

A soluble genetic fusion encoding CTLA4 Ig between the extracellulardomain of CTLA4 and an IgCγ1 domain was constructed in a manner similarto that described above for the CD28Ig construct. The extracellulardomain of the CTLA4 gene was cloned by PCR using syntheticoligonucleotides corresponding to the published sequence (Dariavach etal., Eur. Journ. Immunol. 18:1901-1905 (1988)).

Because a signal peptide for CTLA4 was not identified in the CTLA4 gene,the N-terminus of the predicted sequence of CTLA4 was fused to thesignal peptide of oncostatin M (Malik et al., Mol. and Cell. Biol.9:2847 (1989)) in two steps using overlapping oligonucleotides. For thefirst step, the oligonucleotide, CTCAGTCTGGTCCTTGCACTCCTGTTTCCAAGCATGGCGAGCATGGCAATGCACGTGGCCCAGCC (SEQ ID NO:8) (which encodedthe C terminal 15 amino acids from the oncostatin M signal peptide fusedto the N terminal 7 amino acids of CTLA4) was used as forward primer,and TTTGGGCTCCTGATCAGAATCTGGGCACGGTTG (SEQ ID NO:9) (encoding amino acidresidues 119-125 of the amino acid sequence encoding CTLA4 receptor andcontaining a Bcl I restriction enzyme site) as reverse primer. Thetemplate for this step was cDNA synthesized from 1 μg of total RNA fromH38 cells (an HTLV II infected T cell leukemic cell line provided byDrs. Salahudin and Gallo, NCI, Bethesda, Md.). A portion of the PCRproduct from the first step was reamplified, using an overlappingforward primer, encoding the N terminal portion of the oncostatin Msignal peptide and containing a Hind III restriction endonuclease site,CTAGCCACTGAAGCTTCACCAATGGGTGTACTGCTCACACAGAGGACGCTGCTCAGTCTGGTCCTTGCACTC (SEQ ID NO:10) and the same reverse primer. Theproduct of the PCR reaction was digested with Hind III and Bcl I andligated together with a Bcl 1/Xba I cleaved cDNA fragment encoding theamino acid sequences corresponding to the hinge, CH2 and CH3 regions ofIgCγ1 into the Hind III/Xba I cleaved expression vector, CDM8 or HindIII/Xba I cleaved expression vector πLN (provided by Dr. Aruffo).

A map of the resulting CTLA4Ig fusion construct is shown in FIG. 1.Sequences displayed in this figure show the junctions between CTLA4(upper case letters, unshaded regions) and the signal peptide, SP, ofoncostatin M (dark shaded regions), and the hinge, H, of IgCγ1 (stippledregions). The amino acid in parentheses was introduced duringconstruction. Asterisks (*) indicate cysteine to serine mutationsintroduced in the IgCγ hinge region. The immunoglobulin superfamilyV-like domain present in CTLA4 is indicated, as are the CH2 and CH3domains of IgCγ1.

Expression plasmids, CDM8, containing CTLA4Ig were then transfected intoCOS cells using DEAE/Dextran™ transfection by modification (Linsley etal., 1991, supra) of the protocol described by Seed and Aruffo, 1987,supra.

Expression plasmid constructs (πLN or CDM8) containing cDNA encoding theamino acid sequence of CTLA4Ig, was transfected by lipofection usingstandard procedures into dhfr⁻ CHO lines to obtain novel cell linesstably expressing CTLA4Ig.

DNA encoding the amino acid sequence corresponding to CTLA4Ig has beendeposited with the ATCC under the Budapest Treaty on May 31, 1991, andhas been accorded ATCC accession number 68629.

A preferred stable transfectant, expressing CTLA4Ig, designated ChineseHamster Ovary Cell Line, CTLA4Ig-24, was made by screening B7 positiveCHO cell lines for B7 binding activity in the medium usingimmunostaining. Transfectants were maintained in DMEM™ supplemented with10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), 0.2 mM proline and 1 μM methotrexate.

The CTLA4Ig-24 CHO cell line has been deposited with the ATCC under theBudapest Treaty on May 31, 1991 and has been accorded accession numberATCC 10762.

CTLA4Ig was purified by protein A chromatography from serum-freeconditioned supernatants (FIG. 2). Concentrations of CTLA4Ig weredetermined assuming an extinction coefficient at 280 nm of 1.6(experimentally determined by amino acid analysis of a solution of knownabsorbance). Molecular weight standards (lanes 1 and 3, FIG. 2) andsamples (1 μg) of CTLA4Ig (lanes 2 and 4) were subjected to SDS-PAGE(4-12% acrylamide gradient) under non-reducing conditions (−βME, lanes 1and 2) or reducing conditions (+βME, lanes 3 and 4) Proteins werevisualized by staining with Coomassie Brilliant Blue.

Under non-reducing conditions, CTLA4Ig migrated as a M_(r) approximately100,000 species, and under reducing conditions, as a M_(r) approximately50,000 species (FIG. 2). Because the IgCγ hinge disulfides wereeliminated during construction, CTLA4Ig, like CD28Ig, is a dimerpresumably joined through a native disulfide linkage.

Example 3 CTLA4 Receptor

To reconstruct DNA encoding the amino acid sequence corresponding to thefull length human CTLA4 gene, cDNA encoding amino acids corresponding toa fragment of the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of CTLA4 wascloned by PCR and then joined with cDNA encoding amino acidscorresponding to a fragment from CTLA4Ig that corresponded to theoncostatin M signal peptide fused to the N-terminus of CTLA4. Proceduresfor PCR, and cell culture and transfections were as described above inExample 1 using COS cells and DEAE-Dextran™ transfection.

Because the expression of CTLA4 receptor protein in human lymphoid cellshas not been previously reported, it was necessary to locate a source ofCTLA4 mRNA. PCR cDNA reverse transcribed from the total cellular RNA ofH38 cells, as noted above, was used for cloning by PCR. For thispurpose, the oligonucleotide, GCAATGCACGTGGCCCAGCCTGCTGTGGTAGTG (SEQ IDNO: 11), (encoding the first 11 amino acids in the predicted codingsequence) was used as a forward primer, andTGATGTAACATGTCTAGATCAATTGATGGGAATAAAATAAGGCTG (SEQ ID NO:12) (homologousto the last 8 amino acids in CTLA4 and containing a Xba I site) asreverse primer. The template again was a cDNA synthesized from 1 μg RNAfrom H38 cells. Products of the PCR reaction were cleaved with therestriction endonucleases Nco I and Xba I and the resulting 316 bpproduct was gel purified. A 340 bp Hind III/Nco I fragment from theCTLAIg fusion described above was also gel-purified, and bothrestriction fragments were ligated into Hind III/Xba I cleaved CDM8 toform OMCTLA.

The resulting construct corresponded to full length CTLA4 (SEQ ID NOs:13 and 14) and the oncostatin M signal peptide. The construct is shownin FIG. 3 and was designated OMCTLA4. The sequence for CTLA4 shown inFIG. 3 differs from the predicted human CTLA4 DNA sequence (Dariavach etal., supra) by a base change such that the previously reported alanineat amino acid position 111 of the amino acid sequence shown, encodes athreonine. This threonine is part of a newly identified N-linkedglycosylation site that may be important for successful expression ofthe fusion protein.

Ligation products were transformed into MC1061/p3 E. coli cells andcolonies were screened for the appropriate plasmids. Sequences of theresulting constructs were confirmed by DNA sequence analysis.

Example 4 Characterization of CTLA4Ig

To characterize the CTLA4Ig constructs, several isolates, CD28Ig, B7Ig,and CD5Ig, were prepared as described above and were transfected intoCOS cells as described in Examples 2 and 3, and were tested by FACS^(R)analysis for binding of B7Ig. In addition to the above-mentionedconstructs, CDM8 plasmids containing cDNAs encoding CD7 as described byAruffo and Seed, (EMBO Jour. 6:3313-3316 (1987)), incorporated byreference herein, were also used.

mAbs. Murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) 9.3 (anti-CD28) and G19-4(anti-CD3), G3-7 (anti-CD7), BB-1 (anti-B7 antigen) and rat mAb 187.1(anti-mouse K chain) have been described previously (Ledbetter et al.,Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 84:1384-1388 (1987); Ledbetter et al., Blood75:1531 (1990); Yokochi et al., supra) and were purified from ascitesbefore use. The hybridoma producing mAb OKT8 was obtained from the ATCC,Rockville, Md., and the mAb was also purified from ascites before use.mAb 4G9 (anti-CD19) was provided by Dr. E. Engleman, StanfordUniversity, Palo Alto, Calif.). Purified human-mouse chimeric mAb L6(having human Cγ1 Fc portion) was a gift of Dr. P. Fell and M. Gayle(Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle,Wash.).

Immunostaining and FACS^(R) Analysis. Prior to staining, COS or CHOcells were removed from their culture vessels by incubation in PBScontaining 10 mM EDTA. Cells were first incubated with mAbs or Ig fusionproteins at 10 μg/ml in DMEM™ containing 10% FBS for 1-2 hr at 4° C.Cells were then washed, and incubated for an additional 0.5-2 hrs at 4°C. with FITC-conjugated goat anti-mouse immunoglobulin or withFITC-conjugated goat anti-human Ig Cγ serum (both from Tago, Burlingame,Calif.). When binding of both mAbs and Ig fusion proteins were measuredin the same experiment, FITC-conjugated anti-mouse and anti-human secondstep reagents were mixed together before use. Fluorescence on a total of10,000 cells was then analyzed by FACS^(R).

Peripheral Blood Lymphocyte Separation and Stimulation. Peripheral bloodlymphocytes (PBLs) were isolated by centrifugation through LymphocyteSeparation Medium™ (Litton Bionetics, Kensington, Md.). Alloreactive Tcells were isolated by stimulation of PBL in a primary mixed lymphocytereaction (MLR). PBL were cultured at 10⁶/ml irradiated (5000 rad) T51LCL. EBV-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL), PM (Bristol-MyersSquibb Co.) and T51 (Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) were maintained in RPMI™supplemented with 10% FBS. After 6 days, alloreactive “blasts” cellswere cryopreserved. Secondary MLR were conducted by culturing thawedalloreactive blasts together with fresh irradiated T51 LCL in thepresence and absence of mAbs and Ig fusion proteins. Cells were culturedin 96 well flat bottom plates (4×10⁴ alloreactive blasts and 1×10⁴irradiated T51 LCL cells/well, in a volume of 0.2 ml) in RPMI™containing 10% FBS. Cellular proliferation of quadruplicate cultures wasmeasured by uptake of [³H]-thymidine during the last 6 hours of a 2-3day culture.

PHA-activated T cells were prepared by culturing PBLs with 1 μg/ml PHA(Wellcome, Charlotte, N.C.) for five days, and one day in medium lackingPHA. Viable cells were collected by sedimentation through LymphocyteSeparation Medium™ before use. Cells were stimulated with mAbs ortransfected CHO cells for 4-6 hr at 37° C., collected by centrifugationand used to prepare RNA.

CD4+ T cells were isolated from PBLs by separating PBLs from healthydonors into T and non-T cells using sheep erythrocyte rosettingtechnique and further separating T cells by panning into CD4+ cells asdescribed by Damle et al., J. Immunol. 139:1501 (1987), incorporated byreference herein.

B cells were also purified from peripheral blood by panning as describedby Wysocki and Sato, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 75:2844 (1978),incorporated by reference herein, using anti-CD19 mAb 4G9. To measureT_(h)-induced Ig production, 10⁶ CD4+ T cells were mixed with 10⁶ CD19+Bcells in 1 ml of RPMI™ containing 10% FBS. Following culture for 6 daysat 37° C., production of human IgM was measured in the culturesupernatants using solid phase ELISA as described by Volkman et al.,Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78:2528 (1981), incorporated by referenceherein.

Briefly, 96-well flat bottom microtiter ELISA plates (Corning, Corning,N.Y.) were coated with 200 μl/well of sodium carbonate buffer (pH 9.6)containing 10 μg/ml of affinity-purified goat anti-human IgG or IgMantibody (Tago, Burlingame, Calif.), incubated overnight at 4° C., andthen washed with PBS and wells were further blocked with 2% BSA in PBS(BSA-PBS).

Samples to be assayed were added at appropriate dilution to these wellsand incubated with 200 μl/well of 1:1000 dilution of horseradishperoxidase (HRP)-conjugated F(ab′)₂ fraction of affinity-purified goatanti-human IgG or IgM antibody (Tago). The plates were then washed, and100:1/well of o-phenylenediamine (Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, Mo.)solution (0.6 mg/ml in citrate-phosphate buffer with pH 5.5 and 0.045%hydrogen peroxide). Color development was stopped with 2 N sulfuricacid. Absorbance at 490 nm was measured with an automated ELISA platereader.

Test and control samples were run in triplicate and the values ofabsorbance were compared to those obtained with known IgG or IgMstandards run simultaneously with the supernatant samples to generatethe standard curve using which the concentrations of Ig in the culturesupernatant were quantitated. Data are expressed as ng/ml of Ig±SEM ofeither triplicate or quadruplicate cultures.

Immunoprecipitation Analysis and SDS PAGE. Cells were surface-labeledwith ¹²⁵I and subjected to immunoprecipitation analysis. Briefly,PHA-activated T cells were surface-labeled with ¹²⁵I usinglactoperoxidase and H₂O₂ as described by Vitetta et al., J. Exp. Med.134:242 (1971), incorporated by reference herein. SDS-PAGEchromatography was performed on linear acrylamide gradients gels withstacking gels of 5% acrylamide. Gels were stained with Coomassie Blue,destained, and photographed or dried and exposed to X ray film (Kodak™XAR-5).

Binding Assays. B7Ig was labeled with ¹²⁵I to a specific activity ofapproximately 2×10⁶ cpm/pmole. Ninety-six well plastic dishes werecoated for 16-24 hrs with a solution containing CTLA4Ig (0.5 μg in avolume of 0.05 ml of 10 mM Tris, pH 8). Wells were blocked with bindingbuffer (DMEM™ containing 50 mM BES (Sigma Chemical Co.), pH 6.8, 0.1%BAS, and 10% FCS) before addition of a solution (0.09 ml) containing¹²⁵I B7Ig (approximately 5×10⁵ cpm) in the presence or absence ofcompetitor. Following incubation for 2-3 hrs at 23° C., wells werewashed once with binding buffer, and four times with PBS. Boundradioactivity was then solubilized by addition of 0.5N NaOH, andquantified by gamma counting.

Binding to B7Ig. The functional activity of the OMCTLA4 constructencoding the complete human CTLA4 DNA gene, is shown in the experimentshown in FIG. 4. COS cells were transfected with expression plasmidsCD7, OMCD28 and OMCTLA4 as described above. Forty-eight hours followingtransfection, cells were collected and incubated with medium only (noaddition) or with mAbs 9.3, B7Ig, CD5Ig or G3-7. Cells were then washedand binding was detected by a mixture of FITC-conjugated goat anti-mouseIg and FITC-conjugated goat anti-human Ig second step reagents.Transfected cells were tested for expression of the appropriate cellsurface markers by indirect immunostaining and fluorescence was measuredusing FACS^(R) analysis as described above.

As shown in FIG. 4, mAb 9.3 bound to CD28-transfected COS cells, but notto CTLA4-transfected cells. In contrast, the B7Ig fusion protein (butnot control CD5Ig fusion protein) bound to both CD28- andCTLA4-transfected cells. CD7-transfected COS cells bound neither mAb 9.3nor either of the fusion proteins. This indicates that CD28 and CTLA4both bind the B cell activation antigen, B7. Furthermore, mAb 9.3 didnot detectably bind CTLA4.

Binding of CTLA4Ig on B7 Positive CHO cells. To further characterize thebinding of CTLA4Ig and B7, the binding activity of purified CTLA4Ig onB7+CHO cells and on a lymphoblastoid cell line (PM LCL) was measured inthe experiment shown in FIG. 5. Amplified transfected CHO cell lines andPM LCLs were incubated with medium only (no addition) or an equivalentconcentration of human IgCγ1-containing proteins (10 μg/ml) of CD5Ig,CD28Ig or CTLA4Ig. Binding was detected by FACS^(R) following additionof FITC-conjugated goat anti-human Ig second step reagents. A total of10,000 stained cells were analyzed by FACS^(R).

As shown in FIG. 5, CD28Ig bound to B7+CHO cells but not to PM LCL, acell line which expresses relatively low levels of the B7 antigen(Linsley et al., supra, 1990). CTLA4Ig bound more strongly to both celllines than did CD28Ig, suggesting that it bound with higher affinity.Neither CD28Ig nor CTLA4Ig bound to CD28⁺ CHO cells.

Affinity of Binding of CTLA4Ig and B7Ig. The apparent affinity ofinteraction between CTLA4Ig and B7Ig was then measured using a solidphase competition binding assay. Ninety-six well plastic dishes werecoated with CTLA4Ig as described above. B7Ig was radiolabeled with ¹²⁵I(5×10⁵ cpm, 2×10⁶ cpm/pmole), and added to a concentration of 4 nM inthe presence of the indicated concentrations (FIG. 6) of unlabeledchimeric mAb L6, mAb 9.3, mAb BB-1 or B7Ig. Plate-bound radioactivitywas determined and expressed as a percentage of radioactivity bound towells treated without competitor (28,300 cpm). Each point represents themean of duplicate determinations; replicates generally varied from themean by ≦20%. Concentrations were calculated based on a M_(r) of 75,000per binding site for mAbs and 51,000 per binding site for B7Ig.

As shown in FIG. 6, only mAb BB-1 and unlabeled B7Ig competedsignificantly for ¹²⁵I-B7Ig binding (half maximal effects atapproximately 22 nM and approximately 175 nM, respectively). Neitherchimeric mAb L6, nor mAb 9.3 competed effectively at the concentrationstested. In other experiments, the concentrations of mAb 9.3 used weresufficient to inhibit binding of ¹²⁵I-B7Ig to immobilized CD28Ig or tocell surface expressed CD28 by ≧90%.

When the competition data from FIG. 6 were plotted in a Scatchardrepresentation, a dissociation constant, K_(d), of approximately 12 nMwas calculated for binding of ¹²⁵I-B7 to immobilized CTLA4Ig (FIG. 7).This value is approximately 20 fold lower than the previously determinedK_(d) of binding between ¹²⁵I-B7Ig and CD28 (approximately 200 nM)(Linsley et al, (1991), supra) indicating that CTLA4 is a higheraffinity receptor for the B7 antigen than CD28 receptor.

To identify the molecule(s) on lymphoblastoid cells which bound CTLA4Ig(FIG. 7), ¹²⁵I-surface labeled cells were subjected toimmunoprecipitation analysis (FIG. 8). B7+CHO and PM LCL cells weresurface-labeled with ¹²⁵I, and extracted with a non-ionic detergentsolution as described above. Aliquots of extracts containingapproximately 1.5×10⁷ cpm in a volume of 0.1 ml were subjected toimmunoprecipitation analysis as described above with no addition, or 2μg each of CD28Ig, CTLA4Ig or CD5Ig. Washed immunoprecipitates were thenanalyzed by SDS-PAGE (10-20% acrylamide gradient) under reducingconditions. The gel was then dried and subjected to autoradiography. Theleft panel of FIG. 8 shows an autoradiogram obtained after a 1 dayexposure. The right panel of FIG. 8 shows an autoradiogram of the samegel after a 10 day exposure. The autoradiogram in the center panel ofFIG. 8 was also exposed for 10 days. Positions of molecular weightstandard are also indicated in this figure.

As shown by FIG. 8, a diffusely migrating (M_(r) approximately50,000-75,000; center at approximately 60,000) radiolabeled protein wasimmunoprecipitated by CTLA4Ig, but not by CD28Ig or CD5 μg. Thismolecule co-migrated with B7 immunoprecipitated from B7+CHO cells byCTLA4Ig, and much more weakly, by CD28Ig. These findings indicate thatCTLA4Ig binds a single protein on lymphoblastoid cells which is similarin size to the B7 antigen.

Inhibition of Immune Responses In Vitro by CTLA4Ig

Inhibition of Proliferation. Previous studies have shown that theanti-CD28 mAb, mAb 9.3, and the anti-B7 mAb, mAb BB-1, inhibitproliferation of alloantigen specific T_(h) cells, as well asimmunoglobulin secretion by alloantigen-presenting B Cells (Damle, etal., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 78:5096 (1981); Lesslauer et al., Eur. J.Immunol. 16:1289 (1986)). Because CTLA4 is a high affinity receptor forthe B7 antigen as demonstrated herein, soluble CTLA4Ig was tested forits ability to inhibit these responses. The effects of CTLA4Ig on T cellproliferation were examined in the experiment shown in FIG. 9.

Primary mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) blasts were stimulated withirradiated T51 lymphoblastoid cells (LC) in the absence or presence ofconcentrations of murine mAb 9.3 Fab fragments, or B7Ig, CD28Ig orCTLA4Ig immunoglobulin Cγ fusion proteins. Cellular proliferation wasmeasured by [³H]-thymidine incorporation after 4 days and is expressedas the percentage of incorporation by untreated cultures (21,000 cpm).FIG. 9 shows the means of quadruplicate determinations (SEM≦10%).

As shown in FIG. 9, CTLA4Ig inhibited the MLR reaction in adose-dependant fashion by a maximum of >90% with a ½ maximal response atapproximately 30 ng/ml (approximately 0.8 nM). The Fab fragment of mAb9.3, which previously was shown to be a more potent inhibitor of MLRthan whole mAb 9.3 (Damle et al., J. Immunol. 140:1753-1761 (1988)),also inhibited the MLR, but at higher concentrations (approximately 800ng/ml or approximately 30 nM for ½ maximal response). B7Ig and CD28Igdid not significantly inhibit the MLR even at higher concentrations. Inanother experiment, addition of B7Ig together with CTLA4Ig partiallyovercame the inhibition of MLR by CTLA4Ig, indicating that theinhibition was specifically due to interactions with B7 antigen.

Inhibition of Immunoglobulin Secretion. The effects of CTLA4Ig on helperT cell (T_(h))-induced immunoglobulin secretion were also examined (FIG.10). CD4⁺ T cells were mixed with allogeneic CD19⁺ B cells in thepresence or absence of the indicated immunoglobulin molecules asdescribed above. Murine mAbs OKT8, 9.3 and BB-1 were added at 20 μg/ml,and Ig fusion proteins at 10 μg/ml. After 6 days of culture,concentrations of human IgM (SEM<5%) in culture supernatants weredetermined by enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) as described above. IgMproduction by B cells cultured in the absence of CD4⁺ T cells was 11ng/ml.

As shown in FIG. 10, CD4⁺ T cells stimulated IgM production by allogenicCD19⁺ B Cells (in the absence of CD4⁺ T cells, IgM levels were reducedby 93%). mAbs 9.3 and BB-1 significantly inhibited T_(h)-induced IgMproduction (63% and 65% inhibition, respectively). CTLA4Ig was even moreeffective as an inhibitor (89% inhibition) than were these mAbs.Inhibition by control Ig molecules, mAb OKT8 and CD5Ig, was much less(≦30% inhibition). None of these molecules significantly inhibited Igproduction measured in the presence of Staphylococcal aureus enterotoxinB. Similar results were obtained with CD4⁺ T cells and B cells derivedfrom other donors. These results indicate that the inhibition by CTLA4Igis specific.

The above data also demonstrate that the CTLA4 and CD28 receptors arefunctionally as well as structurally related. Like CD28, CTLA4 is also areceptor for the B cell activation antigen, B7. CTLA4Ig bound ¹²⁵I-B7with an affinity constant, K_(d), of approximately 12 nM, a value some20 fold higher than the affinity between CD28 and B7Ig (approximately200 nM). Thus, CTLA4 and CD28 may be thought of as high and low affinityreceptors, respectively, for the same ligand, the B7 antigen.

The apparent affinity between CD28 and B7 is similar to the affinityreported for binding of soluble alloantigen to the T cell receptor of amurine T cell hybridoma (approximately 100 nM; Schnek et al., Cell 56:47(1989)), and is higher affinity than interactions between CD2 and LFA3(Recny et al., J. Biol. Chem. 265:8542 (1990)), or CD4 and MHC class IImolecules (Clayton et al., Nature 339:548 (1989)). The apparent affinityconstant, K_(d), between CTLA4 and B7 is even greater, and comparesfavorably with higher affinity mAbs (K_(d) 2-10,000 nM; Alzari et al.,Ann. Rev. Immuno. 6:555 (1988)). The K_(d) between CTLA4 and B7 issimilar to or greater than K_(d) values of integrin receptors and theirligands (10-2000 nM; Hautanen et al., J. Biol. Chem. 264:1437-1442(1989); Di Minno et al., Blood 61:140-148 (1983); Thiagarajan andKelley, J. Biol. Chem. 263:035-3038 (1988)). The affinity of interactionbetween CTLA4 and B7 is thus among the highest yet reported for lymphoidadhesion systems.

These results demonstrate the first expression of a functional proteinproduct of CTLA4 transcripts. CTLA4Ig, a fusion construct containing theextracellular domain of CTLA4 fused to an IgCγ1 domain, forms adisulfide-linked dimer of M_(r) approximately 50,000 subunits (FIG. 1).Because no interchain disulfides would be predicted to form in the Igportion of this fusion, it seems likely that cysteines from CTLA4 areinvolved in disulfide bond formation. The analogous CD28Ig fusionprotein (Linsley et al, supra, 1991) also contains interchain disulfidelinkage(s). These results suggest that CTLA4 receptor, like CD28 (Hansenet al., Immunogenetics 10:247-260 (1980)), exists on the T cell surfaceas a disulfide linked homodimer. Although CD28 and CTLA4 are highlyhomologous proteins, they are immunologically distinct, because theanti-CD28 mAb, mAb 9.3, does not recognize CTLA4 (FIGS. 4 and 5).

It is not known whether CTLA4 can activate T cells by a signallingpathway analogous to CD28. The cytoplasmic domains of murine and humanCTLA4 are identical (Dariavach et al., supra 1988), suggesting that thisregion has important functional properties. The cytoplasmic domains ofCD28 and CTLA4 also share homology, although it is unclear if this issufficient to impart similar signaling properties to the two molecules.

CTLA4Ig is a potent inhibitor of in vitro lymphocyte functions requiringT cell and B cell collaboration (FIGS. 9 and 10). These findings,together with previous studies, indicate the fundamental importance ofinteractions between B7 antigen and its counter-receptors, CD28 and/orCTLA4, in regulating both T and B lymphocyte responses. CTLA4Ig shouldbe a useful reagent for future investigations on the role of theseinteractions during immune responses. CTLA4Ig is a more potent inhibitorof in vitro lymphocyte responses than either mAb BB-1 or mAb 9.3 (FIGS.9 and 10). The greater potency of CTLA4Ig over mAb BB-1 is most likelydue to the difference in affinities for B7 between these molecules (FIG.6). CTLA4Ig is also more potent than mAb 9.3, probably because, unlikethe mAb, it does not also have direct stimulatory effects on T cellproliferation (June et al., Immunology Today 11:211 (1989)) tocounteract its inhibitory effects. The immunosuppressive effects ofCTLA4Ig in vitro suggest that future investigations are warranted intopossible therapeutic effects of this molecule for treatment ofautoimmune disorders involving aberrant T cell activation or Igproduction.

Example 5

Female BALB/c (H-2^(d)) and C57BL/6 (H-2^(d))mice, 6 to 8 wk. of agewere obtained from The Jackson Laboratory (Bar Harbor, Me.).

Human pancreatic islets cells were purified after collagenase digestionas described (C. Ricordi et al. Transplantation 52:519 (1991); A. G.Tzakis et al. Lancet 336:402 (1990); C. Ricordi, P. E. Lacy, E. H.Finke, B. J. Olack, D. W. Scharp, Diabetes 37:413 (1988)).

B6 or B10 mice, treated with streptozocin (175 mg per kilogram of bodyweight) 3 to 5 days before transplant and exhibiting nonfasting plasmaglucose levels of greater than 280 mg/dl (with the majority over 300mg/ml), were used as recipients.

Each animal received approximately 800 fresh human islets of 150 μm indiameter beneath the left renal capsule (D. Faustman and C. Coe, Science252:1700 (1991); Y. J. Zeng et al. Transplantation 53:277 (1992)).Treatment was started immediately after transplantation.

Control animals were treated with PBS (solid lines) or L6 (dotted lines)at 50 μg every other day for 14 days immediately after transplantation(FIG. 11A). Islet transplants were considered rejected when glucoselevels were greater than 250 mg/dl for three consecutive days. Animalstreated with PBS (n=14) and L6 (n=8) had mean graft survivals of 5.6 and6.4 days, respectively.

Animals were treated with 10 μg of CTLA4Ig for 14 consecutive daysimmediately after transplant (n=7) (FIG. 11B). Three out of sevenanimals maintained their grafts for >80 days. The remaining four animalshad a mean graft survival of 12.75 days.

Animals were treated with 50 μg of CTLA4Ig every other day for 14 daysimmediately after human islet transplantation (FIG. 11C). All animals(n=12) treated with this dose maintained grafts throughout the analysis(FIG. 11C). Selected mice were nephrectomized on days 21 and 29 afterthe transplant to assess the graft's function (FIG. 11C).

Histology was performed on kidneys transplanted with human islet cells(FIGS. 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D). The slides were analyzed blindly.

Hematoxylin and eosin staining of a control human islet grafted mouse 29days after transplantation showed a massive lymphocyte infiltration(FIG. 12A). The same tissue, stained for insulin, showed no detectableinsulin production (FIG. 12B).

Histological examination of tissue from a CTLA4Ig-treated mouse 21 daysafter transplant showed intact islets under the kidney capsule with veryfew lymphocytes infiltrating the transplanted tissue (FIG. 12C). Thetissue was stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The same tissue from theCTLA4Ig-treated mouse, stained for insulin, showed the production ofinsulin by the grafted islets (FIG. 12D). Similar results were observedin graft tissue examined at later time points. The upper, middle, andlower arrowheads identify the kidney capsule, islet transplant, andkidney parenchyma, respectively.

In the histopathology assay all tissues were fixed in 10% bufferedformalin and processed, and 5-μm sections were stained either withhematoxylin and eosin or for insulin with the avidin-biotin-peroxidasemethod (S. M. Hsu, L. Raine, H. Fanger, J. Histochem, Cytochem, 29:577(1981)). Magnification was ×122.

In FIG. 13 streptozotocin-treated animals were transplanted as describedhereinabove for FIG. 11. The mice were treated either with PBS (dottedlines) or with MAb to human B7 (solid lines) at a dose of 50 μg everyother day for 14 days (FIG. 13). Control animals (treated with PBS)(n=3) had a mean graft survival of 3.5 days, whereas anti-B7-treatedanimals (n=5) maintained grafts from 9 to >50 days (FIG. 13).

In FIG. 14 normal glycemic, CTLA4Ig-treated, transplanted mice (dottedlines) were nephrectomized on day 44 after transplant and immediatelyretransplanted with either 1000 first party donor islets (dotted lines,solid circles) or 1000 second party islets (dotted lines, open circles)beneath the remaining kidney capsule.

These islets, frozen at the time of the first transplant, were thawedand cultured for 3 days before transplant to ensure islet function. B10mice that had been treated with streptozotocin and exhibited nonfastingglucose levels of greater than 280 mg/dl were used as controls (solidlines) (FIG. 14). No treatment was given after transplantation.

Control animals rejected both the first party (solid lines, closedcircles) and the second party (solid lines, open circles) islet graftsby day 4 after transplant (FIG. 14). The CTLA4Ig-treated miceretransplanted with second party islets had a mean graft survival of 4.5days, whereas animals retransplanted with first party donor isletsmaintained grafts for as long as analyzed (>80 days) (FIG. 14).

CTLA4Ig Significantly Prolongs Human Islet Graft Survival in Mice in aDonor-Specific Manner Thereby Providing an Approach to Immunosuppression

C57BL/6 (B6) or C57BL/10 (B10) mice were treated with streptozotocin toeliminate mouse pancreatic islet B cell function. Diabetic animals weregrafted under the kidney capsule, and treatment was started immediatelyafter surgery. Survival of the islet grafts was monitored by theanalysis of blood glucose concentrations.

Transplanted control animals, treated with either phosphate-bufferedsaline (PBS)(n=14) or L6 (a human IgG1 chimeric MAb; n=8), had a meangraft survival of 5.6 and 6.4 days, respectively (FIG. 11A).

In contrast, islet rejection was delayed in animals treated with CTLA4Ig(10 μg per day for 14 days), with four out of the seven animalsexhibiting moderately prolonged mean graft survival (12.75 days),whereas the remaining three animals maintained normal glucose levelsfor >80 days (FIG. 11B). This eventual increase in glucose concentrationmay be a result of islet exhaustion because no evidence of activecellular rejection was observed.

In the three mice that maintained long-term islet grafts, the transientincrease in glucose concentrations around day 21 after the transplantmay have represented a self-limited rejection episode consistent withthe pharmacokinetics of CTLA4Ig clearance after therapy (P. S. Linsleyet al., Science 257:792 (1992)).

In subsequent experiments, the dose of CTLA4Ig was increased to 50 μgper animal every other day for about 14 days. This treatment resulted in100% of the animals maintaining normal islet function throughout theexperiment with no signs of a rejection crisis (FIG. 11C).

In order to confirm that insulin production originated from thetransplanted islets and not from the native mouse pancreas, wenephrectomized selected animals at days 21 and 29 to remove the isletgrafts (FIG. 11C). In these animals, glucose concentrations increased toabove 350 mg/dl within 24 hours, which indicated that the isletxenograft was responsible for maintaining normal glucose levels. Itappears that the blocking of the CD28-B7 interaction inhibits xenogenicislet graft rejection.

The effects of treatment with the soluble receptor, namely CTLAIg fusionprotein, were not a result of Fc binding (L6 did not effect graftrejection) or general effects on T cell or B cell function in vivo.

Historical analyses of islet xenograft from control (PBS treated) andCTLA4Ig treated mice were done (FIGS. 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D). The islettissue from the control animal demonstrated evidence of immunerejection, with a marked lymphocytic infiltrate into the graft and fewremaining islets (FIG. 12A).

Immunohistochemical staining showed that insulin-positive cells werepresent only rarely, and no somatostatin-positive cells were present atall (FIG. 12B). In contrast, transplant tissue from the CTLA4Ig-treatedmice was devoid of any lymphocytic infiltrate (FIG. 12C).

The grafts were intact, with many islets visible. In addition, the Bcells observed in the human islet tissue produced human insulin (FIG.12D) and somatostatin.

The human CTLA4Ig used in this study reacts with both murine and humanB7. One advantage of the xenogeneic transplant model is the availabilityof a MAb to human B7 that does not react with mouse B7 (T. Yokochi, R.D. Holly, E. A. Clark, J. Immunol. 128:823 (1982)). Thus, the role ofhuman B7-bearing antigen-presenting cells (APCs) could be directlyexamined.

The mice were transplanted as described and then treated with 50 μg ofMAb to human B7 every other day for 14 days after transplant. Thistreatment prolonged graft survival in treated mice (9 to >50 days) incomparison to that for control mice (FIG. 13). The anti-B7 MAb is unableto block rejection as effectively as CTLA4Ig.

The CTLA4 Ig therapy resulted in graft acceptance in the majority ofmice. However, the animals may not be tolerant. Transientimmunosuppression can lead to permanent islet graft acceptance becauseof graft adaptation (the loss of immunogenicity as a result of the lossof APC function) (L. Hao, Y. Wang, R. G. Gill, K. J. Lafferty, J.Immunol. 139:4022 (1987); K. J. Lafferty, S. J. Prowse, M. Simeonovic,Annu. Rev. Immunol. 1:143 (1983)).

In order to differentiate between these possibilities, we nephrectomizedselected xenografted, CTLA4Ig-treated mice (day 40) and retransplantedthem under the remaining kidney capsule with either the original donorislets (first party) or unrelated second party human islets (FIG. 14).

Streptozotocin-treated control animals, having never received an isletgraft, were also transplanted with either first or second party islets.No treatment after the transplant was given. Control animals rejectedthe first and second party islets by day 4. The CTLA4Ig-treated animalsthat had received the second party islets rejected these islets by day5, whereas animals receiving first party donor islets maintained thegrafts for >80 days (FIG. 14).

These results suggest that the CTLA4Ig treatment resulted in prolongeddonor-specific unresponsiveness to the xenogeneic islets. The ability ofthe murine immune response to distinguish differences among the humanislet donors also supports the direct recognition of the polymorphic MHCproducts expressed on the human islet cells.

Example 6

Female BALB/c (H-2^(d)) and C57BL/6 (H-2^(d))mice, 6 to 8 wk. of agewere obtained from The Jackson Laboratory (Bar Harbor, Me.).

Monoclonal antibody 11B11 is a rat IgG1 anti-murine IL-4 (Ohara, J., andW. E. Paul, 1985, Production of a monoclonal antibody to and molecularcharacterization of B-cell stimulatory factor-1. Nature 315:333) (Verax(Lebanon, N.H.)).

BALB/c mice (five per group) were immunized intravenously with 10⁸ SRBCalone or together with 200 μg chimeric L6 mAb or human CTLA4Ig fusionprotein. The indicated groups were treated 2 hrs. prior to injection ofSRBCs by intraperitoneal injection of 2 mls of either rat immunoglobulinor rat anti-murine IL-4 mAb 11B11 at 5 mg/ml. Treatment with chimeric L6mAb or CTLA4Ig was repeated daily for 4 additional days.

All animals were given intravenous injections of SRBCs (FIG. 15) or KLH(FIG. 16) on day 46. Specifically, in FIG. 15, the closed circlerepresents mice who were administered with only SRBC at day 0 and day46. The open circle represents mice administered with only SRBC at day46. The remaining mice represented in FIG. 15 were further administeredwith SRBC at day 46. In contrast, in FIG. 16, the mice were administeredwith a different immunogen, KLH, at day 46 only.

Serum concentrations of mice measured as having antibodies directedagainst SRBCs or KLH were determined by ELISA as described (Linsley etal., Science 1992).

Serum antibody titers were calculated as the dilution giving an A₄₅₀ offive times background. Serum antibody titer values from FIG. 15 weredetermined from pooled sera from five mice per group, while serumantibody titer values from FIG. 16 represents mean titers of fiveindividual sera. Arrows indicate an SRBC or KLH injection at day 46.

FIGS. 15 and 16 show that the immunological response in mice injectedconcurrently with both CTLA4Ig and anti-IL4 (open triangle) issuppressed in an antigen-specific manner.

FIG. 15 shows that there is no rise in serum antibody titer (i.e. noprimary or secondary immunological response) in mice injectedconcurrently with CTLA4Ig and anti-IL4 and injected with SRBC at day 0and day 46. The combination of CTLA4Ig and anti-IL4 suppresses a primaryand secondary immune response and induces long lasting immunologicalnon-responsiveness to SRBC.

Additionally, FIG. 15 shows that there is no primary immunologicalresponse in mice injected concurrently with CTLA4Ig and the control ratIg (Cappel, Organontecknika, Palo Alto, Calif.). However, these miceexhibit a secondary immunological response after injection with SRBC atday 46 (closed triangle, FIG. 15).

FIG. 16 shows that administration of CTLA4Ig and anti-IL4, followed by adifferent immunogen, KLH, at day 46 in mice does not suppress a primaryimmune response to KLH in mice. Instead, these mice exhibited a primaryimmune response to KLH (open triangle, FIG. 16). Thus, mice treated withCTLA4 Ig and anti-IL4 exhibited a highly specific immune responsedepending on the antigen administered therein.

Example 7

By site-specific and homolog mutagenesis, we have identified regions inCTLA4Ig which are required for its high avidity binding to B7-1. Thefollowing is a description of how to make soluble CTLA4/CD28 hybridfusion proteins which bind B7.

Materials and Methods

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Murine mAb's specific for CTLA4 wereprepared and characterized as previously described (Linsley et al. J.Ex. Med., (1992) 176:1595-1604). Antibody 9.3 (anti-CD28) has beendescribed previously (Hansen et al., Immunogenetics 10:247-260 (1980)).

Cell Culture. The preparation of stably transfected B7-1 positive CHOcells has been previously described (Linsley et al., in J. Exp. Med.173:721-730 (1991); P. S. Linsley et al., J. Exp. Med. 174:561 (1991)).

Cells were maintained in DMEM™ supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum(FBS), 0.2 mM proline, and 1 μM methotrexate. COS cells were grown inDMEM™ supplemented with 10% FBS. CTLA4Ig was prepared in CHO cells aspreviously described (Example 2).

CTLA4Ig and CD28Ig site-directed mutant expression plasmids.Site-directed mutagenesis was performed on a vector encoding solublechimeric form of CTLA4 (CTLA4 Ig) in which the extracellular domain ofCTLA4 was genetically fused to the hinge and constant regions of a humanIgG heavy chain (Example 2). CTLA4Ig site-directed mutants were preparedby encoding the desired mutation in overlapping oligonucleotide primersand generating the mutants by PCR (Ho et al., 1989, supra.) using theCTLA4Ig plasmid construct as a template.

Six mutants were prepared which encoded substitutions to alanine in thehighly conserved hexapeptide 98MYPPPY103 (SEQ ID NO:23) forming part ofthe putative CDR3-like domain (FIG. 17) (Ho et al., 1989, supra.). Thesemutants are described in Table II.

In addition, two mutants encoding the residues P103A and Y104A (MYPPAY(SEQ ID NO:31) and MYPPPA (SEQ ID NO:32), respectively) from the CD28Ig99MYPPPY104 (SEQ ID NO:23) hexapeptide using CD28Ig as a template werealso prepared by the same method. These mutants are also described inTable II.

Primers required for PCR reactions but not for introducing mutationsincluded (1) a CDM8 forward (CDM8FP) primer encoding a complementarysequence upstream of the HindIII restriction site at the 5′ end of theCDM8 stuffer region, and (2) a reverse primer (CDM8RP) encoding acomplementary sequence downstream of the XbaI site at the 3′ end of theCDM8 stuffer region.

These primers encoded the following sequences:

CDM8FP: 5′-AATACGACTCACTATAGG (SEQ ID NO: 15) CDM8RP:5′-CACCACACTGTATTAACC (SEQ ID NO: 16)

PCR conditions consisted of 6 min at 94° C. followed by 25 cycles of 1min at 94° C., 2 min at 55° C. and 3 min at 72° C. Taq polymerase andreaction conditions were used as suggested by the vendor (Perkin ElmerCetus, Emeryville, Calif.). PCR products were digested with HindIII andXbaI and ligated to HindIII/XbaI-cut CDM8 expression vector.

To confirm that the desired mutations had been inserted and to verifythe absence of secondary mutations, each CTLA4Ig mutant fusion protein(an example of a soluble CTLA4 mutant fusion protein) was sequenced bythe dideoxy chain termination/extension reaction with Sequenase reagentsused according to the manufacturers recommendations (United StatesBiochemical Corp., Cleveland, Ohio).

Plasmids were transfected into COS cells (Aruffo et al., Cell 61:1303(1990)) and the conditioned media was used as a source for the resultingIg mutant fusion proteins.

CTLA4/CD28Ig hybrid expression plasmids. CTLA4/CD28Ig hybrid scanplasmids encoding the constructs HS2, HS4, HS4-A, HS4-B, and HS5 (FIG.19 and Table I) were prepared by PCR using overlapping oligonucleotideprimers designed to introduce CTLA4 sequences into CD28Ig while, at thesame time, deleting the equivalent region from CD28. The same CDM8forward and reverse PCR primers described above were also used.

The following is a list of the CTLA4/CD28 hybrid fusion proteins whichwere made.

DESIGNATION FRAMEWORK MODIFICATIONS HS1 CTLA4 1-24 OF CD28 97-125 OFCD28 HS2 CD28 1-22 OF CTLA4 96-125 OF CTLA4 HS3 CTLA4 96-125 OF CTLA4HS4 CD28 96-123 OF CTLA4 HS4A CD28 96-113 OF CTLA4 HS4B CD28 114-123 OFCTLA4 HS5 CD28 25-32 OF CTLA4 HS6 CTLA4 25-32 OF CD28 HS7 CD28 96-123 OFCTLA4 25-32 OF CTLA4 HS8 CD28 25-32 OF CTLA4 96-113 OF CTLA4 HS9 CD2825-32 OF CTLA4 114-123 OF CTLA4 HS10 CD28 96-123 OF CTLA4 51-58 OF CTLA4HS11 CD28 25-32 OF CTLA4 51-58 OF CTLA4 96-123 OF CTLA4 HS12 CD28 51-58OF CTLA4 96-113 OF CTLA4 HS13 CD28 25-32 OF CTLA4 51-58 OF CTLA4 96-113OF CTLA4 HS14 CD28 51-58 OF CTLA4

Each cDNA construct was genetically linked to cDNA encoding the hingeand constant regions of a human IgG1 in order to make soluble chimeras.

A HS6 hybrid was prepared in a similar manner to that described aboveexcept that the CDR1-like region in CTLA4Ig was replaced with theequivalent region from CD28Ig.

HS7, HS8, and HS9 constructs were prepared by replacing a ˜350 base-pairHindIII/HpaI 5′ fragment of HS4, HS4-A, and HS4-B, respectively, withthe equivalent cDNA fragment similarly digested from HS5 thusintroducing the CDR1-like loop of CTLA4 into those hybrids alreadycontaining the CTLA4 CDR3-like region.

HS10-HS13 constructs are domain homolog mutants which were prepared byintroducing the CDR2-like loop of CTLA4Ig into previously constructedhomolog mutants. This was done by overlapping PCR mutagenesis wherebyprimers were designed to introduce CTLA4 CDR2-like sequences intohomolog templates while at the same time deleting the equivalent CD28CDR2-like region from the molecule.

Accordingly, HS4 served as a template to make HS10; HS7 served as atemplate to make HS11; HS4-A served as a template to make HS12; and HS8served as a template to make HS13 (FIG. 19 and Table I). The CDM8primers described above were also used in these constructions.

The HS14 hybrid construct was prepared by replacing the CDR2-like loopof CD28 with the equivalent loop from CTLA4Ig (FIG. 19 and Table I).

Oligonucleotide primers designed to introduce these changes were used inoverlapping PCR mutagenesis identical to that described for othermutants.

PCR reactions and subcloning into CDM8 were performed as describedabove. Again all mutants were sequenced by the dideoxy chaintermination/extension reaction.

Plasmids encoding each of the mutants were transfected into COS cellsand the resulting soluble Ig fusion proteins were quantitated in culturemedia and visualized by Western blot as described in following sections.

Quantitation of the resulting Ig fusion proteins in culture media.Soluble mutant fusion proteins were quantitated in an enzyme immunoassayby determining the amount of Ig present in serum-free COS cell culturemedia.

Microtiter plates (Immulon2; Dynatech Labs., Chantilly, Va.) were coatedwith 0.5 μg/ml goat anti-human IgG (Jackson Immunoresearch Labs., WestChester, Pa.) for 16-24 h at 4° C. Wells were blocked for 1 h withspecimen diluent (Genetic Systems, Seattle, Wash.), then washed with PBScontaining 0.05% Tween 20 (PBS-Tw).

COS cell culture media containing fusion proteins was added at variousdilutions and incubated for 1 h at 22° C. Known concentrations ofCTLA4Ig were also added to separate wells on each plate for a standardcurve.

After washing, horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated goat anti-humanIgG (Tago, Burlingame, Calif.) diluted 1:12,000 was added and incubatedfor 1 h at 22° C. Wells were then washed and incubated with 3,3′,5,5′tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) substrate (Genetic Systems) for 15 min beforestopping the reaction by the addition of 1N H₂SO₄. Optical density wasmeasured at dual wavelengths of 450 and 630 nm on a microtiter platereader (Genetic Systems).

Concentration of mutant Ig fusion protein was determined by comparisonwith a standard curve of known concentrations of CTLA4Ig.

Immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis. CTLA4/CD28Ig hybridfusion proteins present in culture media were adsorbed to proteinA-Sepharose™ by overnight incubation at 4° C. The beads were washed withPBS containing 0.1% Nonidet-P40 (NP40) then SDS PAGE sample buffer wasadded and the eluted protein was loaded onto an SDS polyacrylamide gel.

Western blot transfer of protein onto nitrocellulose was done bystandard procedures. Nitrocellulose membranes were then blocked with PBScontaining 0.1% NP40 and 1% non-fat dry milk powder.

After washing in PBS-Tw membranes were incubated with alkalinephosphatase-conjugated goat anti-human IgG (Boehringer Mannheim,Indianapolis, Ind.) diluted 1:1,000 and incubated for 1 h at 22° C.Blots were then washed and developed using standard procedures.

B7 positive CHO cell enzyme immunoassay. The ability of CTLA4Ig mutantfusion proteins, and CTLA4/CD28Ig hybrid fusion proteins to bind B7-1stably expressed on CHO cells was determined by an enzyme immunoassay.

Round bottom tissue culture treated 96 well microtiter plates (Corning,Corning, N.Y.) were seeded with B7-1 positive CHO cells at 10³cells/well. Two days later the confluent cells were fixed in 95% ethanolfor 15 min.

After washing with PBS-Tw, mutant Ig fusion proteins were added atvarious concentrations and incubated for 1 h at 4° C. After washing,HRP-conjugated goat anti-human IgG (Tago) diluted 1:10,000 was added andincubated for 1 h at 22° C.

Wells were then washed and TMB substrate added as above and allowed toreact for 30 min before stopping the reaction with 1N H₂SO₄. Absorbanceof the wells was measured at 450 nm.

CD28Ig site-directed mutant fusion protein binding assay. Site-directedmutant fusion proteins of CD28Ig were assayed for their ability to bindto B7-1 by an indirect enzyme immunoassay.

Wells of ELISA plates were coated with a chimeric fusion proteincontaining the extracellular domain of human B7-1 fused to a mouse IgG1Fc region, at 5 μg/ml for 16 h at 4° C. Wells were blocked for 1 h withspecimen diluent (Genetic Systems) then washed with PBS-Tw. COS cellculture media containing known concentrations of mutant fusion proteinwas added at various concentrations and incubated for 1 h at 22° C.

Known concentrations of CD28 μg were also added to separate wells oneach plate. After washing, HRP-conjugated goat anti-human IgG (Tago)diluted 1:10,000 was added and incubated for 1 h at 22° C. TMB substratewas added and optical densities read as described for quantitation of Igfusion proteins in culture media.

mAb binding to Ig fusion proteins. The ability of anti-CTLA4 mAb's andthe anti-CD28 mAb 9.3 to bind CTLA4/CD28Ig hybrid fusion proteins andCTLA4Ig mutant fusion proteins was assessed by an enzyme immunoassay.

Wells of microtiter plates (Immulon 2) were coated with 0.5 μg/ml ofgoat anti-human IgG (Jackson) for 16-24 h at 4° C. Plates were blockedfor 1 h with specimen diluent (Genetic Systems), washed with PBS-Tw,then incubated with the Ig fusion proteins for 1 h at 22° C. Afterwashing, wells were incubated with mAb at 1 μg/ml for 1 h at 22° C.

After further washing, HRP-conjugated goat anti-mouse Ig (Tago) diluted1:10,000 was added and incubated for 1 h at 22° C. TMB substrate wasadded and optical density measured as described above.

CTLA4 molecular model. An approximate three-dimensional model of theCTLA4 extracellular domain was generated based on the conservation ofconsensus residues of IGSF variable-like domains.

Using such IGSF consensus residues as “anchor points” for sequencealignments, CTLA4 residues were assigned to the A, B, C, C′, C″, D, E,F, G strands of an Ig variable fold (Williams/Barclay, 1988, supra.) andthe connecting loop regions (FIG. 21).

The CTLA4 model was built (InsightII, Discover, Molecular Modeling andMechanics Programs, respectively, Biosym Technologies, Inc., San Diego)using the variable heavy chain of HyHEL-5 (Sheriff et al., 1987 PNAS84:8075-8079) as template structure. Side-chain replacements and loopconformations were approximated using conformational searching(Bruccoleri et al., 1988 335:564-568).

Several versions of the model with modified assignments of some residuesto β-strands or loops were tested using 3D-profile analysis (Lüthy etal., 1992, Nature 336:83-85) in order to improve the initial alignmentof the CTLA4 extracellular region sequence with an IGSF variable fold.

RESULTS

Construction and binding activity of CTLA4Ig and CD28Ig mutant fusionproteins. A sequence alignment of various homologues of CD28 and CTLA4is demonstrated in FIG. 17. In FIG. 17, sequences of human (H), mouse(M), rat (R), and chicken (Ch) CD28 are aligned with human and mouseCTLA4. Residues are numbered from the mature protein N-terminus with thesignal peptides and transmembrane domains underlined and theCDR-analogous regions noted. Dark shaded areas highlight completeconservation of residues while light shaded areas highlight conservativeamino acid substitutions in all family members.

Regions of sequence conservation are scattered throughout theextracellular domains of these proteins with the most rigorousconservation seen in the hexapeptide MYPPPY (SEQ ID NO:23) motif locatedin the CDR3-like loop of both CTLA4 and CD28 (FIG. 17). This suggests aprobable role for this region in the interaction with a B7 antigen,e.g., B7-1 and B7-2.

To test this possibility, site-directed alanine scanning mutations wereintroduced into this region of CTLA4Ig using PCR oligonucleotideprimer-directed mutagenesis thereby resulting in CTLA4Ig mutant fusionproteins. Similarly two alanine mutations were introduced into theCD28Ig MYPPPY (SEQ ID NO:23) motif thereby resulting in CD28Ig mutantfusion proteins.

All cDNA constructs were sequenced to confirm the desired mutationsbefore transfection into COS cells. The concentrations of mutant Igfusion proteins in serum-free COS cell culture media were determined byan Ig quantitation assay.

The ability of each CTLA4Ig mutant fusion protein to bind to B7-1expressed on stably transfected CHO cells was then determined by anindirect cell binding immunoassay. Binding of CD28Ig mutant fusionproteins to B7-1 was assessed by an indirect enzyme immunoassay. Each ofthese assays are described in Materials and Methods.

Mutagenesis of each residue of the CTLA4Ig MYPPPY (SEQ ID NO:23) motifto Ala had a profound effect on binding to B7-1 as shown in FIG. 18.FIG. 18 shows that mutations in the MYPPPY (SEQ ID NO:23) motif ofCTLA4Ig and CD28Ig disrupt binding to B7-1. Site-directed mutant Igfusion proteins were produced in transiently transfected COS cells,quantitated and tested for their ability to bind to B7-1.

In FIG. 18 fusion protein quantitations were repeated at least twicewith replicate determinations. Specifically, FIG. 18 shows that CTLA4 Igmutants bind to stably transfected, ethanol-fixed B7-1+ CHO cells grownto confluency in ELISA tissue culture plates. Binding data is expressedas the average of duplicate wells and is representative of at least twoexperiments.

Y99A and P101A mutants bound to B7-1 but with considerably reducedability relative to wild-type CTLA4Ig. In contrast, the mutants M98A,P100A, P102A and Y103A showed an almost complete loss of binding.Furthermore, the CD28Ig MYPPPY (SEQ ID NO:23) mutants P103A and Y104Adid not display detectable binding to B7-1 immobilized on wells of ELISAplates (FIG. 18).

B7-1 transfected CHO cells which were incubated with CTLA4Ig mutantfusion protein, labeled with anti-human FITC, and assayed using aFACSCAN showed equivalent results. These results clearly demonstrate acritical role for the MYPPPY (SEQ ID NO:23) motif in both CTLA4Ig andCD28Ig binding to B7-1.

Characterization of CTLA4/CD28Ig hybrid fusion proteins. Since theMYPPPY (SEQ ID NO:23) motif is common to both CTLA4Ig and CD28Ig, italone cannot account for the observed differences in binding to B7-1seen with CTLA4Ig and CD28Ig. The contribution of less well conservedresidues to high avidity binding B7-1 was assessed using a series ofhomolog mutants.

The three CDR-like regions of CD28 were replaced in various combinationswith the equivalent regions from the CTLA4 extracellular domain (FIG. 19and Table I). FIG. 19 is a map of CTLA4/CD28Ig mutant fusion proteinsshowing % binding activity to B7-1+CHO cells relative to CTLA4-Ig.Conserved cysteine residues (C) are shown at positions 22, 93 and 121respectively (CTLA4 numbering). Also shown is the position of the MYPPPY(SEQ ID NO:23) motif. Open areas represent CD28 sequence; filled areasrepresent CTLA4 sequence; cross-hatched areas represent beginning of IgGFc (also refer to Table D. Percent binding activities were determined bycomparing binding curves (FIGS. 20 a and 20 b) relative to CTLA4-Ig andfinding the concentration of a mutant required to give the same O.D. asthat found for CTLA4-Ig. The ratio of mutant protein to CTLA4-Igconcentration at a particular O.D. was then expressed as % bindingactivity. At least two A450 readings were taken from the linear part ofthe CTLA4-Ig binding curve and the average % binding activitydetermined.

A total of 14 hybrid cDNA constructs were prepared, sequenced, andtransfected into COS cells. Concentrations of Ig fusion proteins inserum-free culture media were determined and their electrophoreticmobility compared by SDS-PAGE including Western blotting analysis.

Under reducing conditions each chimeric protein migrated with a relativemolecular mass ranging between that of CTLA4Ig (Mr-50 kDa) and CD28Ig(Mr-70 kDa) depending on the size of the exchanged region.

Under non-reducing conditions the proteins migrated primarily between100-140 kDa indicating that these fusion proteins existed asdisulfide-linked dimers despite mutagenesis of the cysteine residues inthe hinge region of the Fc.

Since four of the five conserved cysteine residues in CTLA4 and CD28 arethought to be involved in intrachain disulfide bonds, dimerization ofthe fusion proteins was therefore most likely attributable to the fifthconserved cysteine residue at position 121 in CTLA4 (position 123 inCD28).

Binding of CTLA4/CD28Ig hybrid fusion proteins to B7-1. The hybridfusion proteins were tested for their ability to bind to B7-1 by thesame indirect cell binding immunoassay used to assay the site-specificCTLA4Ig and CD28Ig mutant fusion proteins.

Under these conditions the binding between CD28 μg and B7-1 is barelydetectable (FIGS. 20 a/b). However, replacing residues 97 to 125 (theCDR3-like extended region) of CD28 with the corresponding residues ofCTLA4 resulted in an approximately two and a half orders of magnitudeincrease in binding of the CD28Ig analog to B7-1 (FIG. 20 a/b). FIG. 20a/b shows that CTLA4/CD28Ig mutant fusion proteins demonstrateinvolvement of CDR-analogous regions in high avidity binding to B7-1 CHOcells. Mutants were assayed as described in FIG. 2. Data is expressed asthe average of duplicate wells and is representative of at least threeexperiments. From these curves % binding activity relative to CTLA4-Igwas determined as explained and shown in FIG. 19.

Binding to B7-1 by this construct, termed HS4 (FIG. 19), isapproximately five fold less than wild type CTLA4Ig. The HS2 hybridwhich includes additional N-terminal residues of CTLA4 (amino acids1-22), did not improve the ability of the hybrid molecule to bind toB7-1 relative to HS4.

The HS6 construct which represents the CTLA4Ig sequence except that itcontains the CDR1-like region of CD28 (residues 25-32), bound similarly.However, the additional inclusion of the CTLA4 CDR1-like region(residues 25-32) into the HS4 construct (termed HS7), showed furtherimproved binding so that the binding affinity is approximately 44% ofCTLA4Ig (FIG. 19).

In contrast, inclusion of the CDR2-like region of CTLA4 (residues 51-58)into HS4 (construct HS10), did not further increase binding (FIG. 19). Asimilar result was found for construct HS11 which had all three CDR-likeregion sequences of CTLA4 included into CD28Ig. The HS5 hybrid whichcontained only the CDR1-like domain of CTLA4 bound at very low levels.

The CTLA4/CD28Ig hybrid HS4-A encoded CTLA4Ig residues 96-113 in theC-terminally extended CDR3-like region; nine CTLA4 derived residuesfewer than HS4 (FIG. 19 and Table 1). HS4-A bound B7-1 CHO cells lesswell than HS4 (FIGS. 19 and 20 b). However, addition of the CTLA4CDR1-like loop (HS8 hybrid), increased B7-1 binding from about 2% tonearly 60% of wild type binding.

On the other hand, addition of the CTLA4 CDR2-like loop into HS4-A(HS12) did not increase binding relative to HS4-A; neither did additionof all three CTLA4 CDR-like regions (HS 13, FIG. 19).

Another hybrid called HS4-B, encoded the CD28 CDR3-like region includingthe MYPPPY (SEQ ID NO:23) motif followed by CTLA4 residues 114-122(Table I and FIG. 19).

HS4-B and HS4-A displayed similar binding to B7-1. Unlike HS4-A,however, the inclusion of the CTLA4 CDR1-like loop into HS4-B (HS9) didnot improve binding (FIG. 19), suggesting that residues immediatelyadjacent to the CTLA4Ig MYPPPY (SEQ ID NO:23) motif were importantdeterminants in high avidity binding.

Monoclonal antibody binding to CTLA4/CD28Ig hybrid fusion proteins. Thestructural integrity of each hybrid fusion protein was examined byassessing their ability to bind mAb's specific for CTLA4 or CD28 in anenzyme immunoassay. The CTLA4 specific mAb's 7F8, 11D4 and 10A8 blockligand binding (Linsley et al. (1992) supra.).

These antibodies bound to each of the CTLA4Ig mutant fusion proteinsexcept 11D4 which failed to bind to P100A and P102A (Table II). Since7F8 and 10A8 bound to these mutants, the lack of binding by 11D4 canprobably be attributed to mutagenesis perturbing the epitope recognizedby 11D4.

Conversely, each antibody failed to bind to any of the homolog scanhybrid fusion proteins except 7F8 which bound to HS6, and 11D4 whichbound weakly to HS8. As many of these homolog hybrid fusion proteinswere, to some extent, able to bind to B7-1, it is likely that lack ofbinding by the antibodies was due to disruption of conformationalepitopes formed by spatially adjacent but non-linear sequences.

The CD28 specific mAb 9.3 (Linsley et al. (1992) supra.) failed to bindto either of the CD28 site-directed mutant fusion proteins but bound tothe hybrid fusion proteins HS4, HS4-A, HS7 and HS8. With HS2, weakerbinding was observed. No binding was seen with the HS5 and HS6constructs.

CTLA4 model. FIG. 21 shows a schematic representation of the CTLA4model. The assignment of CTLA4 residues to CDR-like regions is shown inFIG. 17. The CTLA4 model suggests the presence of an additional (non-Ig)disulfide bond between residues Cys49 and Cys67 which supports thesimilarity of CTLA4 and the Ig variable fold.

The two possible N-linked glycosylation sites in CTLA4 map to solventexposed positions of the Ig β-strand framework regions. 3D-profileanalysis indicated that the CTLA4 sequence is overall compatible with anIg V-fold, albeit more distantly related.

Residue Val 115 represents the last residue of the CTLA4Ig-like domain.The conformation of the region between Val 115 and the membrane-proximalCys121 which is thought to form the CTLA4 homodimer is highly variablein the CD28 family. The picture that emerges is that CD28 family membersmainly utilize residues in two of three CDR-like regions for binding toB7-1.

The MYPPPY (SEQ ID NO:23) motif represents a conserved scaffold forbinding which appears to be augmented by its C-terminal extension andwhich is specifically modulated by the highly variable CDR1-like region.CDR3 and CDR1-like regions are spatially contiguous in Ig-variablefolds. The CDR2 like region is spatially distant and does not, in thecase of the CD28 family, significantly contribute to the binding toB7-1.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the inventionpertains, the present invention may be embodied in forms other thanthose specifically disclosed above without departing from the spirit oressential characteristics of the invention. The particular embodimentsof the invention described above, are, therefore, to be considered asillustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention isas set forth in the appended claims rather than being limited to theexamples contained in the foregoing description.

TABLE I CTLA4/CD28Ig homolog mutant junction sequences. MUTANT HS1-22CKYasp27- -93ckvEVM99- -123CPSDQE- HS2 -20fvcKYS25- -94CKIelm98--121cpdDQE- HS3 -93ckvEVM99- -123CPSDQE- HS4 -94CKIelm98- -121cpdDQE-HS5 -22CKYasp27- -30ateFRA35- -123CPSDQE- HS6 -22ceySYN27- -30SREvrv35--121cpdDQE- HS4-A -94CKIelm98- -111tqiHVK118- -123CPSDQE- HS4-B-113TIIyvi116- -121cpdDQE- HS7 -22CKYasp27- -30ateFRA35- -94CKIelm98--121cpdDQE- HS8 -22CKYasp27- -30ateFRA35- -94CKIelm98- -111tqiHVK118--123CPSDQE- HS9 -22CKYasp27- -30ateFRA35- -113TIIyvi116- -121cpdDQE-HS10 -47VCVaty53- -56gneLQV60- -94CKIelm98- -121cpdDQE- HS11-22CKYasp27- -30ateFRA35- -47VCVaty53- -56gneLQV60- -94CKIelm98--121cpdDQE- HS12 -47VCVaty53- -56gneLQV60- -94CKLelm98- -111tqiHVK118--123CPSDQE- HS13 -22CKYasp27- -30ateFRA35- -47VCVaty53- -56gneLQV60--94CKIelm98- -111tqiHVK118- -123CPSDQE- HS14 -47VCVaty53- -56gneLQV60--123CPSDQE- Junction sequences of the CTLA4/CD28-Ig hybrid fusionproteins. Amino acids are denoted by their single letter code with thosein upper case being CD28 residues, those in lower case being CTLA4residues and those in bold upper case being human IgG1 residues.Numbering in the table is from the N-terminal methionine of therespective proteins and refers to the adjacent amino acids.

TABLE II Binding of CTLA4 and CD28 monoclonal antibodies to CTLA4Ig andCD28Ig mutant fusion proteins and to CTLA4/CD28Ig hybrid fusionproteins. anti-CTLA4 anti-CD28 mAbs mAb 7F8 11D4 10A8 9.3 CTLA4Ig MUTANTFUSION PROTEIN AYPPPY (SEQ ID NO: 24) +++ +++ +++ − MAPPPY (SEQ ID NO:25) ++ + ++ − MYAPPY (SEQ ID NO: 26) + − + − MYPAPY (SEQ ID NO: 27) ++++++ +++ − MYPPAY (SEQ ID NO: 28) +++ − + − MYPPPA (SEQ ID NO: 29) +++ +++++ − AAPPPY (SEQ ID NO: 30) + ++ +++ − CD28Ig MUTANT FUSION PROTEINMYPPAY (SEQ ID NO: 31) − − − − MYPPPA (SEQ ID NO: 32) − − − +CTLA4/CD28Ig HYBRID FUSION PROTEINS HS1 − − − − HS2 − − − + HS3 − − − −HS4 − − − +++ HS5 − − − − HS6 + − − − HS4-A − − − ++ HS4-B − − − ++ HS7− − − +++ HS8 − + − +++ HS9 − + − − HS10 − − − − HS11 − − − + HS12 − − −− HS13 − − − − HS14 − − − − CTLA4Ig +++ +++ +++ − CD28Ig − − − +++Antibody binding was rated from that seen for wild type protein (+++) toabove background (+), and no detectable binding (−).

1. A soluble CTLA4 mutant molecule having the extracellular domain ofCTLA4 which binds B7-1 and/or B7-2.
 2. The soluble CTLA4 mutant moleculeof claim 1, further comprising an amino acid sequence which alters thesolubility of the soluble CTLA4 mutant molecule.
 3. The soluble CTLA4mutant molecule of claim 2, wherein the amino acid sequence comprises ahuman immunoglobulin constant region.
 4. The soluble CTLA4 mutantmolecule of claim 1, wherein the soluble CTLA4 mutant molecule is any ofHS2, HS4, HS6, HS7, HS8, and HS9.
 5. The soluble CTLA4 mutant moleculeof claim 1, wherein the soluble CTLA4 mutant molecule comprises anextracellular domain of CTLA4 having the amino acid motif MYPPPY (SEQ IDNO:35), wherein the second proline in the amino acid motif MYPPPY (SEQID NO:35) is replaced with alanine.
 6. A nucleic acid moleculecomprising a nucleotide sequence encoding the amino acid sequencecorresponding to the soluble CTLA4 mutant molecule of claim
 1. 7. Avector comprising the nucleotide sequence of claim
 6. 8. A host vectorsystem comprising the vector of claim 7 in a suitable host cell.
 9. Thehost vector system of claim 8, wherein the suitable host cell is aprokaryotic cell or a eukaryotic cell.
 10. A method for producing asoluble CTLA mutant protein comprising growing the host vector system ofclaim 8 so as to produce the protein in the host cell and recovering theprotein so produced.
 11. A soluble CTLA mutant protein produced byexpressing the mutant molecule of claim 1 in a host vector system.
 12. Amethod for regulating a T cell interaction with a B7-1 and/or B7-2positive cell comprising contacting the B7-1 and/or B7-2 positive cellwith the soluble CTLA4 mutant molecule of claim 1 so as to regulate theT cell interaction.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the solubleCTLA4 mutant molecule is any of HS2, HS4, HS6, HS7, HS8, and HS9. 14.The method of claim 12, wherein the soluble CTLA4 mutant moleculecomprises an extracellular domain of CTLA4 having the amino acid motifMYPPPY, wherein the second proline in the amino acid motif MYPPPY (SEQID NO:35) is replaced with alanine.
 15. The method of claim 12, whereinthe B7-1 and/or B7-2 positive cell is an antigen presenting cell. 16.The method of claim 12, wherein the interaction of the CTLA4-positive Tcells with the B7-1 and/or B7-2 positive cells is inhibited.
 17. Amethod for treating a pathological condition mediated by T cellinteractions with B7-1 and/or B7-2 positive cells comprisingadministering to a subject the soluble CTLA4 mutant molecule of claim 1,in an amount effective to regulate T cell interactions with said B7-1and/or B7-2 positive cells.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein said Tcell interactions are inhibited.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein thepathological condition is graft versus host disease.
 20. A method forinhibiting the interaction of CTLA4 positive T cells with B7-1 and/orB7-2 positive cells in vivo comprising contacting CTLA4-positive T cellswith an antibody or antibody fragment, reactive with an extracellulardomain of CTLA4, wherein CTLA4 comprises amino acids 1-187 of SEQ IDNO:14, thereby inhibiting CTLA4-positive T cell interactions with B7-1and/or B7-2 positive cells.
 21. A method for treating a pathologicalcondition in a subject comprising contacting in the subjectCTLA4-positive T cells with an antibody or antibody fragment, reactivewith an extracellular domain of CTLA4, wherein CTLA4 comprises aminoacids 1-187 of SEQ ID NO:14, thereby treating the pathologicalcondition.
 22. A method for blocking CTLA4-B7-1 and/or CTLA4-B7-2interactions in the subject comprising contacting in the subjectCTLA4-positive T cells with an antibody or antibody fragment, reactivewith an extracellular domain of CTLA4, wherein CTLA4 comprises aminoacids 1-187 of SEQ ID NO:14, thereby blocking CTLA4-B7-1 and/orCTLA4-B7-2 interactions in the subject.
 23. The method of claims 20, 21,or 22, wherein the antibody or antibody fragment recognizes and bindsthe extracellular domain of human CTLA4 comprising amino acids 1-125 ofSEQ ID NO:14.
 24. The method of claims 20, 21, or 22, wherein theantibody or antibody fragment recognizes and binds the extracellulardomain of CTLA4 comprising amino acids 1-125 of SEQ ID NO:14, andwherein said binding prevents the binding of CTLA4 to B7-1 and/or B7-2antigen.
 25. The method of claims 20, or 21, wherein the said antibodyor antibody fragment blocks CTLA4-B7-1 and/or CTLA4-B7-2 interactions.26. The method of claims 20, 21, or 22, wherein the antibody fragment isa Fab, F(ab′)₂, or Fv fragment.
 27. The method of claims 20, 21, or 22,wherein the antibody or antibody fragment is a monoclonal antibody.